For a time I thought I should bleed to death; and think now that I
should have done so, but that the blood so matted my hair as to stop
the wound. After lying there about three quarters of an hour, I nerved
myself up again, and started on my way, through bogs and briers,
barefooted and bareheaded, tearing my feet sometimes at nearly every
step; and after a journey of about seven miles, occupying some five
hours to perform it, I arrived at master's store. I then presented an
appearance enough to affect any but a heart of iron. From the crown of
my head to my feet, I was covered with blood. My hair was all clotted
with dust and blood; my shirt was stiff with blood. I suppose I looked
like a man who had escaped a den of wild beasts, and barely escaped
them. In this state I appeared before my master, humbly entreating
him to interpose his authority for my protection. I told him all the
circumstances as well as I could, and it seemed, as I spoke, at times to
affect him. He would then walk the floor, and seek to justify Covey by
saying he expected I deserved it. He asked me what I wanted. I told him,
to let me get a new home; that as sure as I lived with Mr. Covey again,
I should live with but to die with him; that Covey would surely kill me;
he was in a fair way for it. Master Thomas ridiculed the idea that there
was any danger of Mr. Covey's killing me, and said that he knew Mr.
Covey; that he was a good man, and that he could not think of taking me
from him; that, should he do so, he would lose the whole year's wages;
that I belonged to Mr. Covey for one year, and that I must go back to
him, come what might; and that I must not trouble him with any more
stories, or that he would himself GET HOLD OF ME. After threatening me
thus, he gave me a very large dose of salts, telling me that I might
remain in St. Michael's that night, (it being quite late,) but that I
must be off back to Mr. Covey's early in the morning; and that if I did
not, he would _get hold of me,_ which meant that he would whip me.
I remained all night, and, according to his orders, I started off to