Unsure of what I had seen, I pulled my Colt from my dress pocket. I felt my way forward using the cabin roof to guide me in the dark. The lanterns carried by the chatting hoggees cast a faint light on the foredeck, revealing a huge black shape – like a man laying against the rail, but too large to be one.

Assuming my fierce visage with some trepidation, and not wanting to wake the sleeping women, I whispered “I have a gun! Get up!”

“I can’t – them patter rollers ull see me.”

“Patter rollers?”

"You knows, catchers -- slave catchers."

I glanced at the hoggees, two men in the shadows behind them were questioning them. Then it came upon me, this huge black man was an escaped slave and slave catchers were hot on his trail.

“Crawl into the cabin,” I whispered.

The inside was lit by a single low-trimmed lamp. My bunk was on the lowest level – part of the converted settee. The bedding was stored was under it. I lifted the base, helped him into the compartment, and put my French grammar on the edge to admit air. Having restored my bed to its position, I removed my dress and laid myself down. I was almost asleep again when the clamor of hobnail boots on the deck and stairs jarred me to full wakefulness.

“Wake up! Wake up! There’s a fugitive aboard!”

“Get out of here! Can’t you see that this is the women’s compartment!” shouted Mrs. Mott.

I felt under my pillow for my Colt. Captain Bart burst through the curtain with an old blunderbuss, followed by Messrs. Mott and Douglass, and other men of the party.

“What is the meaning of this?” asked Mr. Mott.

“We’re slave hunters.”

“Let me see your warrant!” demanded Mr. Mott. Meanwhile, someone turned up the lamp and lit others.

“According to this, you are seeking a slave called Henry, who is described as of 17 years, ebony skinned, 6’ 6” tall and weighing 190 pounds. As you can see, no one here matches that description. You are welcome to look in the men’s section, and forward and aft lockers – after which you must leave. You are not on land now, but on board a vessel involved in international commerce. If you commit violence against any person on board, I will charge you with piracy. If you do not get off when the captain orders, I will bring mutiny charges. Both are hanging offenses. On the other hand, if the captain shoots you, he has the legal right to repel boarders. Do I make myself clear?” He said this in a lawyerly, but icy manner.

The demeanor of the two slave hunters immediately changed. They conducted a rudimentary search and departed. Immediately thereafter, we were underway. The men went on deck and watched the intruders fade into the distance until a low bridge obscured the view.

“Alright. Where is Henry?” asked Mr. Douglass.

“In the compartment under my bed. I know it is a violation of your hospitality, but I could not let those men have him.”

“You know you are a felon now? You hid an escaped slave and, in doing so, violated the Fugitive Law of 1793,” said Mr. Mot in a somber tone. “Congratulations!”

I received applause from all present.

“Come out Henry, for you are among friends!”

“Thank you! Thank you all, especially you Miss!”

“You look hungry, Senhor. Come, Ines will feed you.”

They went to the kitchen where Ines gave him a broa, and some of the caldo verde she kept on the back of the stove. Matilde sat next to him as he ate, peppering him with questions.

I stopped Mr. Mott. “Is all that about piracy, mutiny, and repealing boarders true?”

“Ha ha! Not a word of it, my dear. It would be if we were on the high seas, but not on a canal in up-state New York. Men like that fancy themselves lawyers, but they do not know a word of admiralty law, and so are easily outwitted!”

“But, isn’t lying a sin?”

“Only if you are seeking to do harm. Augustine says, ‘Love, and do what thou wilt.’ Our Lord Himself said, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’”

“Yes, I know that one.”

“Tonight you broke the law. Do you think our Lord is upset with you?”

“I suppose not.”

“Good! Legalism is for court, love is for life.”

We all retired for the rest of the night. As I fell asleep, I reflected on how fortunate I was to have such teachers as Miss Wilson and Mr. Mott.

In the morning, and for the rest of the voyage, Henry remained in the cabin. I was invited to sit in as we discussed how to help him.

Captain Bart began, “I usually take these fellows to a steamer to Heaven. Its captain is a conductor. There are thousands settled up there. But, you chartered me to Seneca Falls and back. So, I ain’t going to the lake – and ifen I did, he’d be the only bundle. With those patter rollers on the canal – well, it’s too dangerous to move baggage.”

“Yes, of course,” said Mrs. Mott. “I know the stations and conductors along the Philadelphia line, but not up here.”

“I do not think we have any choice but to take him to Seneca Falls. Elizabeth will know station masters to put him on the freedom train,” opined Mr. Douglass.

“Well, I don’t see how,” interjected Mary M’Clintock. “The lad is six and a half feet tall and black as coal – we can not just put him in our midst and hide him from view. Those patter rollers are bound to have told constables and marshals who they are looking for.”

“True enough!” conceded Mr. Mott.

“Everyone knows that you are all abolitionists. What if I got off before you – at some other point -- and took Henry with Sandy and me. We could go to Mrs. Stanton’s at night. You could draw me a map of her house.”

“We don’t want to involve you further.”

“It is too late for that, Mr. Mott. You yourself said I am already a felon.”

“Well, that might work. There is a bridge over the canal fifteen miles outside of town. I will give you money to hire a wagon.”

“Henry -- he’d need freedom papers,” said Mrs. Douglass.

“I can make some pretty convincing papers -- notarized and all. I have done it many times. Being a lawyer has some advantages….”