doubt, hunting for me. My master had offered a reward for my return to
his plantation; and should any one arrest me and take me home, although
I might be returning on my own accord, they would receive the reward and
I would have to make up the amount to my master in extra labor and
extra punishment. To avoid this was now my object.

At night I left the swamp and went to the road, intending to travel home
that night--thinking I was not more than ten or twelve miles away from
there. I was uncertain which way to go; but I finally started off on the
road, hoping that I was going in the direction of Thompson's. The rain
was pattering down; but I traveled briskly all that night, and about
day-break I came to a plantation. I entered one of the slave-cabins and
told the inmates I was lost, hungry, and tired, and asked them for
something to eat. One of the colored men spoke to a woman who appeared
to be his wife, and told her to get me something to eat, and that he
would go and get some pine to put on the fire. His actions, and the
manner in which he spoke, aroused my suspicions, and being fearful that
he intended to betray me, I left the cabin directly after he did, and
sought an asylum in the woods, where I stayed during that day. Thus "the
wicked flee when no one pursueth."

At night I found the same road I had traveled the day before, and
started again to try and get to Thompson's. I knew that I was wrong, and
that I was traveling away from instead of toward Thompson's; therefore I
concluded to make inquiries at the first opportunity. After traveling
three or four miles I came to a cabin in which there was a light
shining through the cracks between the logs. Approaching the cabin, I
intended to enter; but being enabled to see the inmates through the
cracks I discovered three white men sitting around the fire, so I turned
to leave. As I was passing the corner of the cabin a colored woman came