Escape Into the Night by Lois Walfrid Johnson

Author:Lois Walfrid Johnson [JOHNSON, LOIS WALFRID]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-8024-8651-6
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Published: 2013-08-17T04:00:00+00:00

“Go down, Moses,

Way down in Egypt land—

Tell ole Pharaoh

Let my people go!”

In spite of the lashes laid across his back—or perhaps because of them—Jordan sang on. When at last he opened his eyes, Libby saw the glad light of hope.

CHAPTER 13

Riggs!

It’s too dangerous for you to go there,” Caleb told Jordan as the Christina steamed toward Burlington. The two boys and Libby were sitting on the texas deck again, talking about the Quaker community of Salem. In southeastern Iowa, Salem was not far from the slave state of Missouri.

“If Momma found the people with the broad-brim hats, I kin find her,” Jordan answered without looking at Caleb.

“I’ll hunt up your mother for you,” Caleb promised. “Gran and I lived in Burlington for a while. I’ll ask questions there first. Then I’ll go to Salem.”

But Jordan shook his head no. “If you find Momma, she won’t know if she kin trust you. She’ll be feared to come.”

“Riggs could have taken a faster boat,” Caleb warned him. “He might already be in Burlington, looking for you.”

The risk seemed to make no difference to Jordan. “I gots to find Momma myself.”

Caleb sighed. “You know what the fugitive slave law says. A slave owner can form a posse anywhere—even in a free state like Iowa. Riggs can hunt you down wherever you are.”

A posse? Was that what I saw my first night in Burlington? Libby wondered.

“I knows the danger, Massa Caleb.”

“Master Caleb?” Caleb leaned forward as though trying to get Jordan to look at him. “I don’t feel right about having you call me that. Will you just call me Caleb?”

Silence fell between them as Jordan seemed to think about it. “It be mighty hard,” he said finally. “But I kin try.”

“Good!” Caleb exclaimed. “Now you said you know the danger.”

“Yes, sir.” Jordan stopped. For the first time his gaze met Caleb’s. “Yes, Caleb. I knows the danger, but the Lord, He is my protection.”

With that Caleb no longer argued. “Then we’ve got three days. Captain Norstad says it’ll take that long to fix the paddlewheel. We need to be back by the third night so he can make up for lost time.”

Three days, Libby thought. Right now it seemed forever. What could three days mean to Jordan? What if he found his mother and his sisters and his brother? But for Pa, wanting the early spring trade on the river, three days was a long time.

When the Christina limped into Burlington, immigrants on board rushed to the railing. Like a mighty wave, they poured down the gangplank. For them, Burlington was the door to the new state of Iowa and territories beyond. Here they would make a home and begin a new life. Yet for Jordan, stepping off into Burlington might mean just the opposite—the loss of his hard-won freedom.

From her stateroom Libby watched Caleb and Jordan mingle with the immigrants on the landing. As they started up the street, they walked apart from each other. Yet Caleb turned more than once, as though keeping an eye on Jordan.

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