The fellow showed the whites of his eyes. He shook his head.
“No, suh. Ah nevah carries mah papahs to sea wid me.”
“But you do have something to show you’re a free man, haven’t you?”
The sailor’s face beamed.
“Yes, suh. Ah got a papah right hyear wid da ’Merican eagle right on hit. Dat little ole bird carries me round da world!”
From somewhere about himself he drew out a paper and unfolded it carefully. The conductor immediately recognized it as a sailor’s protection. He looked at the spread American eagle at its head, nodded and went on down the aisle.
Frederick’s hand was trembling as he folded the paper. It called for a man much darker than himself. Close examination would have brought about not only his arrest, but the arrest and severe punishment of the sailor who had lent it to him.
The danger was not over. After Maryland they passed through Delaware, another slave state, where slave-catchers would be awaiting their prey. It was at the borders that they were most vigilant.
They reached Havre de Grace, where the Susquehanna River had to be crossed by ferry. Frederick was making his way to the rail so that he could stand with his back to the other passengers, when he literally bumped into Henry!
Henry saw him first. In a second the big fellow pushed him violently to one side; and so Mr. William Freeland did not catch a glimpse of the young sailor. A sailor who no longer swaggered but whose legs hardly managed to bear him up as he clung to the rail. On shore Henry, watching the ferry pull away from the dock, was also trembling.