I am inclined to throw no obstacles in
the way of the execution of the law of the land."
On approaching the door, the men found some forty or fifty nails in
it, in the way of their progress.
"Lend me your hammer and a chisel, if you please, Mr. Dugdale,"
said the officer.
"Please read that paper over again, will thee?" asked the Quaker.
The officer once more read the warrant.
"I see nothing there which says I must furnish thee with tools to
open my door. If thee wants a hammer, thee must go elsewhere for
it; I tell thee plainly, thee can't have mine."
The implements for opening the door are at length obtained and
after another half-hour, the slave-catchers are in the barn. Three
hours is a long time for a slave to be in the hands of Quakers.
The hay is turned over, and the barn is visited in every part; but
still the runaway is not found. Uncle Joseph has a glow upon his
countenance; Ephraim shakes his head knowingly; little Elijah is a
perfect know-nothing, and, if you look toward the house, you will
see Aunt Ruth's smiling face, ready to announce that breakfast is
ready.
"The nigger is not in this barn," said the officer.
"I know he is not," quietly answered the Quaker.
"What were you nailing up your door for, then, as if you were
afraid we would enter?" inquired one of the kidnappers.
"I can do what I please with my own door, can't I," said the
Quaker.
The secret was out; the fugitive had gone in at the front door and
out at the back; and the reading of the warrant, nailing up of the
door, and other preliminaries of the Quaker, was to give the
fugitive time and opportunity to escape.
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