my ebenin’ wid Miss S’wanee, but tell her I win her colors yet, an’ pay dis Yankee cap’n a bigger interest in blows dan he eber had afo.’  Den he ‘splain how he got his men togedder, an’ he foun’ anoder ’tachment ob rebs, an’ how dey would all come in de mawnin’, as soon as light, an’ ride right ober eberyting, an’ ‘lease de cunnel an’ all de oder pris’ners.  Den he says, ‘We’se a-comin’ on de creek-road.  Put a dim light in de winder facin’ dat way, an’ as long as we see it burnin’ we’ll know dat all’s quiet an’ fav’able, an’ tell Missy S’wanee to hab her colors ready.  Dey tought I was one oh de Yanks in de dark, when I come in, but gettin’ away’ll be more tick’lish.’  Den she say, ’Don’t go out ob de doah.  Drap from de parlor winder inter de shrub’ry, an’ steal away troo de garden.’  While dey was gone ter de parlor, I step out an’ up de starway mighty sudden.  Den I whip aroun’ to de beginnin’ ob de garret starway an’ listen.  Soon Missy Roberta come out de parlor an’ look in de pantry an’ de oder rooms, an’ she sof’ly call me, ‘kase she know I was las’ up ‘round de house; but I’se ain’t sayin’ nuffin’.  Den she go in de missus room, whar my moder was, an’ soon she and Missy S’wanee came out an’ whisper, an’ Missy S’wanee was a-larfin’ how as ef she was pleased.  Den Missy S’wanee go back to de missus, an’ Missy Roberta go to her room.

“Now was my chance, an’ I tuck off’n my shoes an’ carried dem, an’ I tank de Lord I heared it all, fer I says, ’Cap’n Lane’ll give me my liberty now sho’ ‘nuff, when I tells him all.’  I’se felt sho’ he’d win de fight in de mawnin’, fer he seemed ob de winnin’ kine.  I didn’t open any ob de doahs on de fust floah, but stole down in de cellar, ’kase I knowed ob a winder dat I could creep outen.  I got away from de house all right, an’ went toward de fire where I lef Cap’n Lane.  Soon a gruff voice said, ‘Halt!’ I guv de password mighty sudden, an’ den said, ‘I want to see Cap’n Lane.’  De man call anoder soger, an’ he come an’ question me, an’ den took me ter de cap’n.  An’ he was a-sleepin’ as if his moder had rocked ’im!  But he was on his feet de moment he spoke to.  He ‘membered me, an’ ask ef de mawnin’ wouldn’t answer.  I say, ’Mass’r Cap’n, I’se got big news fer yer.’  Den he wide awake sho’ ‘nuff, an’ tuck me one side, an’ I tole him all.  ‘What’s yer name?’ he says.  ‘Zeb Borden,’ I answers.  Den he say:  ‘Zeb, you’ve been a good fren’.  Ef I win de fight in de mawnin’ you shell hab your liberty.  It’s yours now, ef you can get away.’  I says I’se lame an’ couldn’t get away unless he took me, an’ dat I wanted my moder ter go, too.  Den he tought a minute, an’ went back ter de fire an’ tore out a little book de paper we brought, an’ he says, ‘What your moder’s name?’ An’ I says, ‘Dey call her Maumy Borden.’  Den he wrote de lines we bring, an’ he says:  ‘No tellin’ what happen in de mawnin’.  Here’s some money dat will help you ’long when you git in our lines.  Dis my fust inderpendent comman’, an’ ef yer hadn’t tole me dis I might a’ los’ all I gained.  Be faithful, Zeb; keep yer eyes an’ ears open, an’ I’ll take care ob yer.  Now slip back, fer yer might be missed.’”