But he's sure to be brought up, sooner or later." A thorough search was made of the slave-huts, and the slaves were closely questioned, but all denied any knowledge of the runaway.

Dan escaped questioning, as he had taken up Vincent's horse to the house in readiness for him to start as soon as he had finished breakfast.
All day the searchers rode about the plantation, examining every clump of bushes, and assuring themselves that none of them had been used as a place of refuge for the runaway.
"It's no good, Mr.Jackson," the sheriff said at last.

"The man may have been here; he aint here now.

The only place we haven't searched is the house, and you may be quite sure the slaves dare not conceal him there.
Too many would get to know it.

No, sir, he's made a bolt of it, and you will have to wait now till he is caught by chance, or shot by some farmer or other in the act of stealing." "I would lay a thousand dollars," Andrew Jackson exclaimed passionately, "that young Wingfield knows something about his whereabouts, and has lent him a hand!" "Well, I should advise you to keep your mouth shut about it till you get some positive proof," the sheriff said dryly.