or Havely, and made good my escape, for the time at least.

I made my way back to Mr. Dansley's and told him my reasons for
endeavoring to effect my escape from slavery, and that the immediate
cause of my present attempt was to keep myself clear of the accursed sin
of whisky-selling. My motives were applauded, but my judgment was
condemned.

How could I ever expect to escape to a country where I could be a free
man? Even should I escape to the northern states the fugitive slave law,
which was then in full force, would remand me back to slavery, and it
was a long, tedious, and perilous journey to Canada. I was going to make
the attempt at any rate.

It was agreed between us that Mr. Dansley should buy me of Wilson if he
could, and that I should stay and work for him at the rate of
thirty-five dollars per month until I had re-imbursed Mr. Dansley, when
I should have my freedom papers. It would have required about four years
for me to pay for myself at those rates, as Wilson "priced" me at
sixteen hundred dollars.

The negotiations for my purchase by Mr. Dansley failed, and I was left
to my exertions to get to Canada the best way I could. I was secreted
during this time about Dansley's farm, and was aroused to a sense of my
condition one day by reading a hand-bill which was posted on a tree on
the road close to Mr. Dansley's house, of which the following is a copy:

"ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD!"

"Charles, a slave, has disappeared from the plantation of