with lee in virginia-第12章

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with　a　large　draught　of　water　generally　brought　up；　either

transferring　their　goods　into　smaller　craft　to　be　sent　up　by　river　to

Richmond；　or　to　be　carried　on　by　rail　through　the　town　of

Petersburg。　　Leaving　his　horse　at　a　house　near　the　river；　ho　crossed

the　James　in　a　boat　to　City　Point。　　There　were　several　vessels　lying

here；　and　for　some　hours　ho　hung　about　the　wharf　watching　the

process　of　discharging。　　By　the　end　of　that　time　ho　had　obtained　a

view　of　all　the　captains；　and　had　watched　them　as　they　gave　their

orders；　and　had　at　last　come　to　the　conclusion　as　to　which　would

be　the　most　likely　to　suit　his　purpose。　　Having　made　up　his　mind；

he　waited　until　the　one　he　had　fixed　upon　came　ashore。　　Ho　was　a

man　of　some　five…and…thirty　years　old；　with　a　pleasant　face　and

good…natured　smile。　　He　first　went　into　some　offices　on　the　wharf；

and　half　an　hour　later　came　out　and　walked　toward　the

railway…station。　　Vincent　at　once　followed　him；　and　as　he　overtook

him　said：



〃I　want　very　much　to　speak　to　you；　sir；　if　you　could　spare　me　a

minute　or　two。〃



〃Certainly；〃　the　sailor　said　with　some　surprise。　　〃The　train　for

Petersburg　does　not　go　for　another　half　hour。　What　can　I　do　for

you？〃



〃My　name　is　Vincent　Wingfield。　　My　father　was　an　English

officer；　and　my　mother　is　the　owner　of　some　large　estates　near

Richmond。　　I　am　most　anxious　to　get　a　person　in　whom　I　am

interested　on　board　ship；　and　I　do　not　know　how　to　set　about　it。〃



〃There's　no　difficulty　about　that；〃　the　captain　said　smiling；　〃you

have　only　to　go　to　an　office　and　pay　for　his　passage　to　where　he

wants　to　go。〃



〃I　can't　do　that；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃for　unfortunately　it　is　against　the

law　for　any　captain　to　take　him。〃



〃You　mean　he　is　a　negro？〃　the　captain　asked；　stopping　short　in　his

walk　and　looking　sharply　at　Vincent。



〃Yes；　that　is　what　I　mean；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃He　is　a　negro　who　has

been　brutally　ill…treated　and　has　run　away　from　his　master；　and　I

would　willingly　give　five　hundred　dollars　to　get　him　safely　away。〃



This　is　a　very　serious　business　in　which　you　are　meddling；　young

sir；〃　the　sailor　said。　　〃Putting　aside　the　consequences　to　yourself；

you　are　asking　me　to　break　the　law　and　to　run　the　risk　of　the

confiscation　of　my　ship。　Even　if　I　were　willing　to　do　what　you

propose　it　would　be　impossible；　for　the　ship　will　be　searched　from

end　to　end　before　the　hatches　are　closed；　and　an　official　will　be　on

board　until　we　discharge　the　pilot　after　getting　well　beyond　the

mouth　of　the　river。〃



〃Yes；　I　know　that；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃but　my　plan　was　to　take　a

boat　and　go　out　beyond　the　sight　of　land；　and　then　to　put　him　on

board　after　you　have　got　well　away。〃



〃That　might　be　managed；　certainly；〃　the　captain　said。　〃It　would　be

contrary　to　my　duty　to　do　anything　that　would　risk　the　property　of

my　employers；　but　if　when　I　am　out　at　sea　a　boat　came　alongside；

and　a　passenger　came　on　board；　it；　would　be　another　matter。　　I

suppose；　young　gentleman；　that　you　would　not　interfere　in　such　a

business；　and　run　the　risk　that　you　certainly　would　run　if　detected；

unless　you　were　certain　that　this　was　a　deserving　case；　and　that　the

man　has　committed　no　sort　of　crime；　for　I　would　not　receive　on

board　my　ship　a　fugitive　from　justice；　whether　he　was　black　or

white。〃



〃It　is　indeed　a　deserving　case；〃　Vincent　said　earnestly。　〃The　poor

fellow　has　the　misfortune　of　belonging　to　one　of　the　worst　masters

in　the　State。　　He　has　been　cruelly　flogged　on　many　occasions；　and

was　finally　driven　to　run　away　by　their　selling　his　wife　and　child。〃



〃The　brutes！〃　the　sailor　said。　　〃How　you　people　can　allow　such

things　to　be　done　is　a　mystery　to　me。　　Well；　lad；　under　those

circumstances　I　will　agree　to　do　what　you　ask　me；　and　if　your　boat

comes　alongside　when　I　am　so　far　away　from　land　that　it　cannot　be

seen；　I　will　take　the　man　to　England。〃



〃Thank　you　very　much　indeed；〃　Vincent　said；　〃you　will　be　doing　a

good　action。　　Upon　what　day　do　you　sail？〃



〃I　shall　drop　down　on　Monday　into　Hampton　Roads；　and　shall　get

up　sail　at　daylight　next　morning。　　I　shall　pass　Fortress　Monroe　at

about　seven　in　the　morning；　and　shall　sail　straight　out。〃



〃And　how　shall　I　know　your　ship？〃　Vincent　asked。　〃There　may　be

others　starting　just　about　the　same　time。〃



The　sailor　thought　for　a　moment。　　〃When　I　am　four　or　five　miles

out　I　will　hoist　my　owner's　flag　at　the　foremast…head。　　It　is　a　red

flag　with　a　white　ball；　so　you　will　be　able　to　make　it　out　a

considerable　distance　away。　　Yon　must　not　be　less　than　ten　or

twelve　miles　out；　for　the　pilot　often　does　not　leave　the　ship　till　she

is　some　miles　past　Fortress　Monroe；　and　the　official　will　not　leave

the　ship　till　he　does。　　I　will　keep　a　sharp　lookout　for　you；　but　I

cannot　lose　my　time　in　waiting。　　If　you　do　not　come　alongside　I

shall　suppose　that　you　have　met　with　some　interruption　to　your

plans。〃



〃Thank　you　very　much；　sir。　　Unless　something　goes　wrong　I　shall

be　alongside　on　Tuesday。〃



〃That's　settled；　then；〃　the　captain　said；　〃and　I　must　be　off；　or　else　I

shall　lose　my　train。　　By　the　way；　when　you　come　alongside　do　not

'rake　any　sign　that　you　have　met　me　before。　　It　is　just　as　well　that

none　of　my　crew　should　know　that　it　is　a　planned　thing；　for　if　we

ever　happened　to　put　in　here　again　they　might　blab　about　it；　and　it

is　just　as　well　not　to　give　them　the　chance。　　Good…by；　my　lad；　I

hope　that　all　will　go　well。　　But；　you　know；　you　are　doing　a　very

risky　thing；　for　the　assisting　a　runaway　slave　to　escape　is　about　as

serious　an　offense　as　you　can　commit　in　these　parts。　　You　might

shoot　half　a　dozen　men　and　get　off　scot　free；　but　if　yen　were

caught　aiding　a　runaway　to　escape　there　is　no　saying　what　might

come　of　it。〃



After　taking　leave　of　the　captain；　Vincent　recrossed　the　river　and

rode　home。　　He　had　friends　whose　fathers'　estates　bordered　some

on　the　James　and　others　on　the　York　River；　and　all　of　these　had

pleasure…boats。　　It　was　obviously　better　to　go　down　the　York　River；

and　thence　round　to　the　mouth　of　the　James　at　Fortress　Monroe；　as

the　traffic　on　the　York　was　comparatively　small；　and　it　was

improbable　that　he　would　be　noticed　either　going　down　or

returning。　　He　had　at　first　thought　of　hiring　a　fishing…boat　from

some　of　the　free　negroes　who　made　their　living　on　the　river。　　But

he　finally　decided　against　this；　for　the　fact　of　the　boat　being　absent

so　long　would　attract　its　owner's　attention；　and　in　case　any

suspicion　arose　that　the　fugitive　had　escaped　by　water；　the　hiring

of　a　boat　by　one　who　had　already　befriended　the　slave；　and　its

absence　for　so　long　a　time；　would　be　almost　certain　to　cause

suspicion　to　be　directed　toward　him。　　He　therefore　decided　upon

borrowing　a　boat　from　a　friend；　and　next　morning　rode　to　the

plantation　of　the　father　of　Harry　Furniss；　this　being　situated　on　a

convenient　position　on　the　Pamunky；　one　of　the　branches　of　the

York　River。



〃Are　you　using　that　sailing…boat　of　yours　at　present；　Harry？

Because；　if　not；　I　wish　you　would　let　me　have　the　use　of　it　for　a

week　or　so。〃



〃With　pleasure；　Vincent；　and　my　fishing…lines　and　nets　as　well；　if

you　like。　　We　very　seldom　use　the　boat。　　Do　you　mean　to　keep　it

here　or　move　it　higher　up　the　river；　where　it　would　be　more　handy

for　you；　perhaps？〃



〃I　think　I　would　rather　leave　it　here；　Furniss。　　A　mile　or　two　extra

to　ride　makes　no　difference。　　I　suppose　it's　in　the　water？〃



〃Yes；　at　the　foot　of　the　boathouse　stairs。　　There　is　a　padlock　and

chain。　　I　will　give　you　the　key；　so　you　can　go　off　whenever　you　like

without　bothering　to　come　up　to　the　house。　　If　you　just　call　in　at

the　stable　as　you　ride　by；　one　of　the　boys　will　go　down　with　you

and　take　your　horse　and　put　him　up　till　you　come　back　again。〃



〃That　will　do　capitally；〃　Vincent　replied。　　〃It　is　some　time　since　I

was　on　the　water；　and　I　seem　to　have　a　fancy　for　a　change　at

present。　　One　is　sick　of　riding　into　Richmond　and　hea