His refined sensibilities were satisfied by the melodramatic coloring of his surroundings. The atmosphere of art had affected him enough for him to perceive the beauties of the picture made by the stalwart men, the gigantic black’s refined prowess and the noble lines and graceful pose of Winona’s neck and shoulders.
Preacher Steward moved out a number of wooden sea chests from beneath the tall, four-posted bed where his wife and children lay wrapped in slumber. He spread at the extreme back of the open space a pair of blankets and then signed Judah to creep under the bed; when he had done so, the parson pushed back the trunks as nearly as possible to their old positions, thus completely concealing the fugitive from view.
“We can’t start before five o’clock, and we may as well get all the rest we can,” said Maybee.
It was after midnight when Warren, Maybee and their host lay down upon the floor which was spread with a buffalo robe and blankets.
“It’s the best the railroad can offer under the circumstances. The railroad isn’t wealthy and we have to put up with some discomforts.”
“This beats sleeping on the ground without blankets, as we sometimes bivouac out to Captaing Brown’s camp, all holler,” replied Maybee, sleepily. “Declar’, I’m dead beat.”
“As I understand it, this isn’t a railroad; it is only hiding fugitives as they pass to Canada.”
“Exactly. But many people believe in an underground railroad, with regular trains running on time, stopping points, and everything in railroad style?”
“Really?”
“You bet,” grunted Maybee, half-asleep.