The Freedom Star Part 21

"Any trouble, boy?" Abraham asked.

"There was pattyrollers on the post road headed west," Isaac replied. "Banjo says they been riding back and forth all night."

"That they has," Abraham said. "I seen *em twice. Is that the foodstuff?" He pointed to the sack.

Isaac nodded. "Where's them runners?"

"Right here." Abraham lifted a pine bough that leaned against the small wooden bridge. A man and a small boy peered out.

"Hey there." Isaac held out his hand. "Where's you headed?"

"Petersburg," the man replied. He glanced at Isaac's extended hand, but didn't take it. "We has relatives there. They's free and they says they can hide us, maybe get us down river behind them Yankee lines. Folks is saying, you gets to Hampton, it'll be jubilation time."

Isaac dropped his hand. "Where's you coming from?"

"North Carolina, down by Yanceyville."

"Yanceyville?" A sudden s.h.i.+ver ran up Isaac's neck. "Did you happen to know a girl by the name of Raleigh? She works for Mr. Patterson."

"Sure," the man replied. "Everybody down that way knows Raleigh. She teached our children a Bible cla.s.s last summer, out behind the white folk's church. But some of them whites, they didn't hanker none to nigras getting the book learning, so they made her stop."

Isaac's stomach knotted.

"You best be moving along," Abraham said. "Them pattyrollers will be back this way before long, so you needs to put some distance between you and that road. These here supplies will last you four, five days." He hefted the bag, then c.o.c.ked an eyebrow and turned toward Isaac.

Isaac straightened and faced his father. He cleared his throat. "Pa, there's food there for three. Tell Mama I loves her. Tell Joseph and Tempie too."

Abraham slowly shook his head. "Boy, it ain't your time . . ."

"It weren't yesterday," Isaac said, "but things done changed."

"You's gonna break you mama's heart."

"Life ain't getting no easier on that farm. She'll understand."

"There be danger out there: dogs, pattyrollers, bad folks to do you harm . . ."

"Pa, I knows what to do." Isaac smiled. "You done taught me."

Abraham grabbed Isaac by the shoulders. "Are you sure, boy?"

Isaac nodded. "It's time I be chasing my own dream. When I gets to Philadelphia, I'll write. Miss Polly, she'll read it for you."

A distant owl called out across the woodlot.

"Down!" Isaac pushed Abraham to the ground. In a moment, horse's hoofs pounded the packed dirt road, then crossed the bridge and faded in the distance.

"That was too close, boy. How'd you know?"

Isaac stood, brus.h.i.+ng off the leaves. "We has us a friend."

Abraham raised his eyebrow.

Isaac shook his head and smiled. "Best you don't know."

Abraham held him at arm's length. "Lord be with you, boy. That freedom star will guide you true." He squeezed Isaac's arms, then let go and slipped across the bridge.

Placing a finger to his lips, Isaac turned to the other runaways. "We needs to be real quiet."

Moving slowly so as not to splash, they walked down the middle of the creek for an hour or more, until they arrived at a stand of pines. "We's past where them pattyrollers will be looking," Isaac whispered, "least ways tonight. If we gets under them pines, we'll be well hidden." He pointed to the stream. "Staying in the creek like we done, them dogs'll have trouble picking up our scent."

"Much obliged," the man said. "Me and the boy, we can use some rest."

"Make your beds from that there pine straw," Isaac replied. "I'll keep watch."

"Bless you," the man said. He took his young boy by the hand and started up the draw.

"Hey," Isaac whispered, "What does they call you?"

"I's Moses," the man replied. "This here's my boy, Carter Louis."

Isaac nodded as he settled against a tree where he had a clear view upstream.

Chapter Thirty.

April 1862 The cookhouse door flew open. "Outside now," an angry voice demanded.

Was that Ma.s.sa Patrick yelling? Florence bolted upright in bed and shook Abraham. "Wake up. There's trouble brewing."

Abraham grunted and rolled over. Florence poked him again then climbed out of bed. "Isaac, Joseph, Tempie, y'all get down here," she called to the loft. "Ma.s.sa Patrick wants us all outside."

Florence wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and stepped onto the porch. Abraham joined her, tying his britches with a rope belt and rubbing his eyes. A hint of pink sliced the eastern sky.

Slaves filled the barnyard, some still in nights.h.i.+rts. Lilly and Banjo stumbled past. Their faces reflected fear and confusion. Crying children clung tightly to their mothers. Sean O'Farrell held a lantern and directed people to their places.

Patrick paced like a bantam rooster. He drew a pistol and fired into the air. "Get over here. All of you, line up now."

Florence flinched. What had him all riled? Must be something terrible bad. She gathered Tempie and Joseph and they took their place in the back row beside Abraham. "Where's Isaac?" She whispered to Tempie.

Abraham put a finger to his lips and hushed her.

"Appears we have us a problem," Patrick said, pacing in front of the gathering. "Seems like some runaways crossed our land, and rumor has it, McConnell slaves were out giving them aid. O'Farrell, do you have a count?"

"Aye, that I do, sir."

"Well . . . ?"

"We'd be missing but one slave, sir."

"And who would that be?"

Sean hesitated. His glanced at Florence, then quickly looked away. "That would be Isaac, sir."

"Isaac?" Florence cried. She turned to Abraham. "Where's my boy? Where's he at?" She grabbed his s.h.i.+rt. Abraham pulled her close. Joseph clutched her skirts.

"So, he's a good boy, he'll never run?" Patrick gazed at the dawn sky. "O'Farrell, send them to the fields. Looks like we'll get an extra hour's work today."

Slaves drifted quietly toward the tobacco fields.

Patrick approached Abraham. "Where were you last night?"

Abraham eased Florence behind him.

Patrick holstered his pistol and yanked Joseph from Florence's side. He turned the boy's face toward him. "This cuffy could fetch three hundred dollars, maybe more . . ."

Florence gasped.

Abraham looked at her, his eyes filled with terror. "I was in the woods, sir."

"Helping the runaways?"

"Y-yes sir."

"And Isaac?"

"He was there too, Ma.s.sa Patrick."

Patrick released Joseph. He wagged a finger in Abraham's face. "I'll deal with you later." He pointed to Florence. "Breakfast in thirty minutes." He turned on his heel and marched toward the house.

Florence grabbed Abraham by his s.h.i.+rt. "Why didn't you tell me my boy was running?"

"He done surprised me with that last night. I was gonna tell you this morning soon as you woke."

Joseph tightly clutched his mother. "Mama, Them dogs ain't gonna get Isaac, is they?"

"He'll be fine." Florence wiped her tears. "Ain't no dog, nor no pattyroller, can catch him in them woods." She put her arm around Joseph and leaned into Abraham. Tempie hesitated, then slowly slipped her arms around Florence too.

_____.

"See them railroad tracks?" Isaac lay next to Moses, pointing to a slight rise across the open field. "They's the Richmond and Danville line. If we stays to the woods and follows them tracks, in two days we'll be at Burkeville."

"Then is we safe?" Moses said.

"Nigras ain't safe nowhere," Isaac replied, "*cepting up north. These rails cross the Petersburg line in Burkeville. We follows that and, Lord willing, we'll be to Petersburg in three, four days."

"Me and Carter Louis, we's mighty beholding to ya, Isaac."

"Never mind that," Isaac said. "Soon as it's dark, we needs to get a move on. There's clouds rolling up from the south-could mean rain. That'll be good for hiding."

Isaac waved for Moses to follow as he slipped back into the forest to the stand of pines where Carter Louis waited with their supplies. Isaac sat beside a tree and fished a corndodger out of his sack. He popped it in his mouth, chewing slowly. A soft rain rustled the treetops.

"How much longer?" Moses hunkered next to Isaac and ate as well.

"Another hour. Remember, we stay close, move together. If we runs separate, them pattyrollers has three chances to see us. We runs together, they ain't got but one."

"How'd you learn so much about this here underground railroading?" Moses stared at Isaac. "You ever run before?"

Isaac shook his head. "No, but I listened good when Pa told others what to do. How's that boy of yours holding up?"

"Oh, he'll make it," Moses said. "He's scared, but I reckon we all is."

Along with the rain came a chill. Isaac pulled his s.h.i.+rt tight. It was going to be a cold night. Moses was scared. Isaac was too; he had been ever since the Yanceyville jail, but there was no turning back . . .

"What's that?" Moses pointed toward the tracks.

Isaac strained to hear. "Train's coming."

"How about we hops one them boxcars and save some walking?" Moses said.

Isaac shook his head. "Too dangerous. If that brakeman sees you, he'll stop the train. There could be poor whites riding them boxcars too, and they'll turn you in for a free meal. We'd best stick to the woods."

They followed a creek, pus.h.i.+ng through brambles and undergrowth, pausing to listen, then trudging on again. The patter of rain masked their noise. After what seemed like an hour, Isaac stopped and held up his hand. "This here creek's bending south. Rest, then we need to head north, back toward them tracks." The three sat beside a large tree and shared a few dodgers.

"My feet's hurting." Carter Louis said, rubbing his foot.

"Them shoes is all wet," Isaac whispered to Moses. "See if they's rubbing. He might be better off barefoot."

Moses removed the shoes and checked the boy's feet.

After they had rested, Isaac crawled to the edge of the forest and peered across an open field. Nothing stirred. He motioned for Moses and the boy. "You see them woods yonder? Run hard, stay low, and don't make no sound. You ready?"

Moses nodded.

"Be quick about it." Crouching low, Isaac took off running. Mud clung to his feet as he slogged across the plowed field. Carter Louis stumbled, landing on his face in the muck. Moses yanked him to his feet and hurried him along. Once they reached the tree line, Isaac held up his hand. "Rest here. I'll be right back."

He crept to the far end of the field, straining to hear any sound. Off to his right, telegraph poles silhouetted against the gray sky traced the railroad tracks they would follow. Silently, Isaac retreated into the shadows and rejoined Moses and the boy. He knelt, pointing toward the tracks. "Them tracks is running to the north. We's right where we needs to be." Isaac forced a smile as he reached for his wooden star. His hand brushed across a wet, empty s.h.i.+rt. He turned to Moses. "Is that boy all right?"

"I reckon," Moses replied.

"Good. We'd best head north by east, up through them woods," Isaac said. "I can't see no stars, but we'll be fine following them tracks. We'll bed down on the other side."