"If you behave yourself properly, I will take care of you." Now, kind and considerate as this offer was, it failed to soothe me into repose.

In spite of Master Thomas, and, I may say, in spite of myself, also, I continued to think, and worse still, to think almost exclusively about the injustice and wickedness of slavery.

No effort of mine or of his could silence this trouble-giving thought, or change my purpose to run away.
About two months after applying to Master Thomas for the privilege of hiring my time, I applied to Master Hugh for the same liberty, supposing him to be unacquainted with the fact that I had made a similar application to Master Thomas, and had been refused.

My boldness in making this request, fairly astounded him at the first.

He gazed at me in amazement.