Escape Into the Night (20 page)

I
n the next instant Emma leaped. Her bare feet found the ice, then slid. But she kept her balance and started running.

Close behind, Libby also leaped. When she stopped sliding, she raced after Emma.

The ice felt soft, as if it would give way at any moment. Ahead of her, Emma started a zigzag path.

Why doesn’t she go the shortest way?
Libby wondered.

Unwilling to follow, she headed straight for the far shore. Suddenly Emma called to her. “Thin ice!”

Just in time, Libby saw a patch of ice blacker than the rest. Sliding to a stop, she barely escaped crashing through.

Libby needed no other warning. She, too, started to zigzag. In the growing light she followed the white and stronger ice.

Once she turned for a quick look. In that moment a man slid down the steep bank behind them. A slave catcher!

With all her strength, Libby raced on. When she looked again, the man was gaining on her. Even in the midst of her fear he looked familiar.

Desperately, Libby stared at the ice ahead. A large fallen tree hung over this side of the river.
If I cut across that stretch—
But Emma had gone around.

Then Libby saw it. Black ice again. Thin ice, that meant. Libby heard a warning crack.

Again she followed Emma, instead of taking the shortcut. A minute or two later, Libby heard another crack. A man cried out.

This time Libby stopped. Close to the fallen tree, the slave catcher struggled in open water. Waving his arms, he cried for help.

For an instant Libby wondered what to do. Then as the man reached up, he managed to grab a branch and hang on.

Near the shore Libby again leaped an expanse of black water. Already Emma was climbing the straight-up-and-down bank on that side of the river. Libby followed, clinging to every handhold she could find.

Partway to the top, she looked back at the slave catcher. Using the branch of the fallen tree, he had managed to pull himself onto the trunk.

“He’ll ice up,” Libby called to Emma. “He can’t follow us.”

“Someone else kin,” Emma called back. “Hurry up!”

Someone else
. Before they started this wild race, Libby had heard at least two voices. Where was the other slave catcher?

Out of breath now, Libby panted as she climbed the rest of the way. Where were Caleb and Jordan? Had the other catcher caught them?

It’s my fault
, Libby thought.
I promised myself I’d never give Jordan away. But that’s what I did. I gave everyone away!

At the top of the riverbank, Emma paused for just one moment.

“You saved my life!” Libby exclaimed as soon as she caught her breath. “I would have fallen right through those thin spots!”

As though it weren’t important, Emma shrugged.

“I mean it!” Libby said. “Thank you!”

Emma simply turned and started on.

She’s putting up with me
. Again Libby remembered how she had given the rest of them away.
Emma knows she’d be better off without me
.

Suddenly Libby recalled Auntie Vi. She had tried hard to be a good mother, but she hadn’t always done the best thing. For the first time Libby could understand that.
At least Auntie tried
.

Again Emma walked so fast that Libby found it hard to believe that she carried a three-month-old baby. As Libby tried to keep up, she felt more miserable by the minute.
Maybe Auntie would like to know how I am. Maybe I should write and tell her. That is, if I ever get back to the boat!

With each step, water sloshed inside Libby’s shoes. In the morning air her feet felt painfully cold, then numb. Yet Emma walked without any shoes at all. Watching her, Libby felt ashamed for wanting to complain.

Caleb’s directions brought them to a wooded ravine. As they climbed between the steep hills, Emma turned and looked back. Then, as if satisfied that no one followed, she walked on.

Hollows in the ravine still held patches of snow. Each time Emma came to one of those patches she walked around it. Careful to follow her example, Libby kept away from anything that would leave a footprint for whoever searched.

By the time they reached level ground, Libby was shivering. But Emma walked on, her bare feet seeming to fly across the cold earth.

When Libby finally saw a farmhouse, she wanted to run
to the door, knock, and be let in. But Emma stayed within the line of trees until she reached the barn. Then she walked farther into the woods. There she found a fallen log and sat down.

It was warmer there, out of the March wind, and Libby pulled off her wet shoes. She had just settled herself when she heard a whisper.

“C’mon,” Caleb said. “We have to keep going.”

“You’re here!” Libby exclaimed, then clapped a hand over her mouth. Her relief had startled her into speaking aloud.

Though Libby could see no trail, Caleb hurried all of them on as though he knew every bush.

“How far to Burlington?” she asked him once.

“Nine, maybe ten miles from the farmhouse.”

Deep in the woods, Caleb finally allowed them to stop. Only then did the girls find out what had happened. When Caleb and Jordan drew the slave catchers away, both men followed them at first. Then one dropped back, deciding it was better to guard the river.

“When he fell through the ice, the other man went to help him,” Caleb said. “The second slave catcher built a fire, and guess who showed up?”

Libby didn’t have to be told. “Riggs?”

“Yup. We saw them talking. Jordan and I kept to the woods on the south side of the river. We crossed farther on.”

Suddenly Libby realized why the slave catcher seemed familiar. “That’s the man who talked to Riggs outside the store in Saint Louis! So Riggs pays him for this?”

“‘Fraid so,” Caleb answered. “Riggs probably sent the catcher to wherever Jordan’s mother is. It would make sense that Jordan would go there.”

“And the other catcher?” Libby asked.

“Someone looking for Deacon Trowbridge and the baby.”

“And me,” Emma added.

“Whoever the catchers are, they’re greedy for money,” Caleb said.

“Do you think we’ve gotten away from all of them?” Libby asked.

“Nope. If we stay in the woods, they won’t find us, but they’ll guess where we’re going. If the slave catchers hire horses, if Riggs doesn’t spare
his
horse—”

Dread tightened Libby’s stomach. “They’ll be waiting for us to come into Burlington.”

“Unless we beat them there.” Caleb stood up. Once again he led them on.

Libby wasn’t sure when she felt as if she couldn’t walk any more. Perhaps it was when the blisters formed on her feet. Or when her wet shoes seemed too heavy to lift another step. Whenever it was, Libby’s entire body hurt.

“Can’t we wait till dark?” she asked Caleb.

He shook his head. “That’s what everyone does. And you’re forgetting something. Your pa needs to leave Burlington tonight. We
have
to get back.”

Somewhere in the miles after that, Libby grew ashamed. Jordan looked as though he had just begun his walk and could go for miles more. Emma was no different. She was headed for the Promised Land.

Even Caleb seemed used to such a long hike. As they drew close to Burlington, he suddenly stopped. Libby dropped down on a stump, feeling she would never be able to move again. Caleb shinnied up a tall tree.

From there he gazed out over the countryside. But Libby needed no long view to hear a galloping horse. The thunder of hooves told her more than she wanted to know.

Caleb slid down from the tree. “It’s Riggs! He’s headed straight for Pastor Salter’s barn!”

Using a shortcut, Caleb led them through a wooded ravine. When at last they came to the back side of the barn, Libby felt she had never seen anything so beautiful in her life.

As soon as they stepped inside, Caleb dropped down a wooden bar to lock the doors. Moments later Libby heard the rhythm of hooves on the street alongside the barn. Closer and closer the horse came. Suddenly the sound of hooves stopped.

“It’s Riggs,” Caleb reported from his lookout at a window. “He’s standing in the trees back of the barn.”

Before long, Libby heard other horses. From a window on another side, Jordan made his report. “Two slave catchers here!” They, too, stood just inside the line of trees.

“We’re surrounded?” Libby asked Caleb.

“Riggs is watching the door where we came in. The slave catchers are guarding the big door. If we used the third door—the one toward the house—we’d get the Salter family in trouble.”

Libby’s stomach tightened. Just when she thought they were nearly safe, everything got even worse. How could they possibly get back to the
Christina
without being seen?

Feeling hopeless, she dropped down on a mound of hay. Nearby, Emma found another soft place. From the handkerchief bag she carried, she pulled out a diaper and changed little Henry, then began to feed him.

As minutes ticked away, Libby grew more and more nervous. “Do you think Pastor Salter knows the men are here?”

“Nope,” Caleb answered. “All of them are standing out of sight from the house. And the Salters have no way of knowing that we’re back.”

“What are the slave catchers waiting for?” Libby asked.

Caleb wasn’t sure. “They might think we’re still coming. I took every shortcut I know.”

“And Riggs?”

“Maybe he’s waiting for dark. Or maybe he has more men coming, men who will help him make sure we don’t get away.”

Libby shivered. Either way, they would lose.

Whenever little Henry whimpered, Emma rocked him. Each time she stood up to walk back and forth, she seemed more afraid.

Libby felt as if a clock ticked louder with every passing minute.
How long can Emma keep the baby quiet?

When Caleb gathered all of them into a part of the barn away from windows, Libby again sat down beside Emma. “Has your husband ever seen your baby?” she asked.

“Jist once he seen him. The night little Henry was born, big Henry crept into my cabin. ‘Glory!’ he say. ‘What a son!’”

Tears filled Emma’s black eyes. “That night big Henry gots to run from Old Massa.”

“Is your husband in Canada now?” Libby asked.

Emma nodded. “When we gits to the Promised Land, this baby will sure nuf know his daddy!”

“We need a plan,” Caleb said suddenly. “A bold plan. Everyone knows that fugitives move at night. That’s what both Riggs and the slave catchers expect. We need to do something they won’t expect.”

Jordan caught on at once. “We needs to move before dark.”

“In broad daylight?” For Libby sneaking around in the night was difficult enough.

“We can’t wait for dark,” Caleb said. “It’s bad enough having three men out there. We can’t take a chance on more. Somehow Jordan and Emma and Henry have to get to the
Christina
without being seen.”

“But how?” Libby asked.

“One of us has to walk out past Riggs and the slave catchers,” Caleb answered. “Walk out in a way that they don’t recognize what we’re doing.”

“Them catchers knows me,” Emma said. “Young Massa hired one of them. And they knows my baby!”

“That Riggs!” Jordan exclaimed. “If he don’t know my face, he sure do know my back!”

“Well, Caleb,” Libby said. “I guess it’s your job to go.”

But Caleb was silent. When he did not answer, Libby remembered.

“Why did that farmer warn you? And that Quaker in Salem? Why is it dangerous for you to be in this area? Do all the slave catchers know you?”

“They know that wherever I am, there will probably be a fugitive with me. They want to stop what I’m doing.”

And still you do it!
Once Libby would have wondered why Caleb got involved. Now she thought she knew.

When the silence stretched long between them, Libby looked from Caleb to Jordan to Emma.

It was Caleb who spoke. “Libby—”

“You don’t have to tell me,” she said. Each time Riggs came near, Caleb had protected her. He had kept the slave trader from seeing her face. Even the one slave catcher who followed
her across the river had seen more of her back than her face.

“If we could get the baby past them—” Caleb said.

“Just the baby?” Libby asked.

“If he cries, he’ll give everyone else away.”

“So you want me to take the baby?”

Caleb nodded. “If you do, the rest of us have a better chance of sneaking out.”

“But how can I keep him quiet?”

“By rockin’,” Emma said. “He like rockin’ best.”

“Rocking in front of Riggs and the slave catchers? How can I do that?”

Again Libby looked from one to the other. No one answered.

“You saw the men talking,” she told Caleb. “If I carry a baby, all three will know where it came from.”

Then Libby looked at Emma. She sat on a mound of hay again, cradling her sleeping baby. With the blankets pushed aside, Libby saw little Henry’s long black eyelashes and his curly hair. In peace he slept, as though no danger could possibly touch him. But if Emma had to walk—

Suddenly Libby had an idea. “Rocking—but not in my arms. What about rolling in a wagon?”

Emma didn’t understand, but Caleb did. “A wagon pulled by a Newfie!”

Libby explained to Emma, then asked, “Would it work?”

“Maybe,” she answered. But she wasn’t sure.

“I could climb out a window—” Libby looked toward Caleb.

He nodded. “Riggs is at this end of the barn, watching the door we came in.” Leaning down, Caleb drew in the dirt floor. “The catchers are over here, guarding the big door. If you went out the third door they’d see you go to the house. But you could
climb out this window. Walk this way—”

Caleb raised his head to look into Libby’s eyes. “You might get close to the street before Riggs sees you. If it’s just one person, he might not catch on.”

“I could get Samson.” Libby planned it out. “I could pretend I’m bringing laundry to the Salters. I would stop here and take the baby.”

Suddenly the idea of what she’d have to do seemed more frightening than she could handle. “What if it doesn’t work?”

But Caleb was already making plans. “Libby, do you know the way back to the
Christina
?”