Before I had time to reply, he had plunged into the woods on the right of the road, and I was left alone.
I was terribly alarmed, and lost no time in making my way through the cornfield; and when I found the road, I sped along it at a rapid gait. Fear lent me wings, and I fancied every bush an officer.
It was a warm but pleasant night, and the moon was just rising. I calculated that it must be about midnight, and I determined that I would put many a mile between me and Lancaster before daybreak.
So I set off at a dog-trot, and I kept it up until I saw the sun rising over the eastern hills.
By that time I must have gone about twenty miles, and I was completely tired out, and very glad to crawl into the shelter of some neighboring woods and lie down to rest.
Before I knew it I was asleep, and I did not awake until late in the afternoon.
I was stiff and sore, and at the same time ravenously hungry. The first two ailments wore away as I started again on my journey, but the latter increased until I determined to brave anything rather than suffer any longer.
The first house I came to was a small yellow frame, close to the road, with a yellow dog chained on the porch, and a woman frying ham in the kitchen.
“Please, ma’am,” said I.
“G’way!” said she. “Here, Tige!”