This was also in the direction it was necessary for me to travel in order to get back to the free North.
Knowing that the slave catchers would most likely be watching the public highway for me, to avoid them I made my way over the rocky hills, woods and plantations, back to Bedford.
I travelled all that night, guided on my way by the shining stars of heaven alone.

The next morning just before the break of day, I came right to a large plantation, about which I secreted myself, until the darkness of the next night began to disappear.

The morning larks commenced to chirp and sing merrily--pretty soon I heard the whip crack, and the voice of the ploughman driving in the corn field.

About breakfast time, I heard the sound of a horn; saw a number of slaves in the field with a white man, who I supposed to be their overseer.

He started to the house before the slaves, which gave me an opportunity to get the attention of one of the slaves, whom I met at the fence, before he started to his breakfast, and made known to him my wants and distresses.