Escape Into the Night (26 page)

“That’s true,” Caleb answered. “You aren’t going to hurt Captain Norstad.”

“But you heard Libby.”

“Yup, I heard.” Caleb sounded angry. “And I won’t let you hurt her pa. I’ll keep hiding you for as long as you need to be hid.”

Jordan shook his bowed head. “I was wrong to ask Captain Norstad if I could stay.”

“He gave his permission,” Caleb answered. “Remember?”

“I remembers. And he gave me a job.” Jordan’s shoulders shifted as though the idea of working for pay gave him pleasure.

“Don’t forget the reason Captain Norstad said you could stay.”

Jordan straightened. “‘Cause I wants to find my daddy. I wants to be my momma’s hands. Momma is mighty strong. But if she runs away, she ain’t got enough hands for my sisters and my brother.”

In the moonlight Jordan stood sure and tall. “Momma don’t know if I is dead or alive. She be moanin’ and weepin’ for me, and here I is—free as a bird from a cage!”

For the first time since seeing Riggs, Jordan’s gaze met Caleb’s. “When I leaves this boat, I is goin’ to the place where Momma lives. I is goin’ to help my momma and my sisters and my brother escape!”

“You want to go there now?” Caleb stared at Jordan. “You can’t do that! On every tree and building, there are posters about you! Every slave catcher on earth wants to collect that big reward!”

But Jordan was wearing his proud look—the look that reminded Libby of royalty. With his head high, he spoke. “When I was just a little boy, my momma told me, ‘Jordan, you is goin’ to lead your people to the Promised Land. You is goin’ to take them to
freedom
!’”

“That’s right,” Caleb answered. “You
will
lead your people to freedom! But if you try now, you’ll lose
your
freedom.”

When Jordan blinked, Caleb rushed on. “Have you got a plan figured out? Do you know a way to disguise who you are?”

Jordan shook his head.

“Do you know how to get to where your mother is?”

Again Jordan shook his head. “I ain’t never seen where Momma lives now. When I gits there, I’ll know what to do.”

“Then let’s think of a way you can get there without being caught,” Caleb said.

Looking as though he didn’t want to listen, Jordan dropped back down on a crate. “We gots to figure out that plan real soon,” he said. “I ain’t goin’ to wait for something more to happen to Momma.”

As if Libby were no longer there, Caleb leaned forward, speaking to Jordan. “I want to help you find every member of your family. You tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

“I tell
you
what to do?” Again Jordan leaped to his feet. This time his eyes blazed. “You is foolin’ me, sure enough! There ain’t no slave boy who tells a white boy what to do!”

“I know what to do if I find a runaway slave,” Caleb said.
“I know how to hide a fugitive who comes near the
Christina
. What you need to do will be a whole lot harder.”

Standing as still as a stone, Jordan seemed to consider Caleb’s words. Finally he turned. “You thinks I can lead my people to freedom?”

Caleb’s gaze held steady. “I
know
you can lead your people to freedom. If you’d like my help, you’ve got it.” As though wanting to shake on it, Caleb offered his hand.

Jordan stared down at Caleb’s hand, then looked up. “You
really
wants to help me?” he asked.

“I really want to help you,” Caleb said.

As if he had never before touched a white boy’s hand, Jordan hesitated. Then, seeming to make up his mind, he stretched out his own hand. Halfway between the two boys, their hands met.

Jordan grinned. “I hope you knows what you is doing.”

“First, we keep you safe,” Caleb promised. “Then we figure out a way to get to your family.”

In that moment Libby felt scared right down to her toes. Something important had been decided. Something that would change Jordan’s life but also Caleb’s and hers. Even the thought of what might happen frightened Libby.

I wish I had their courage
, she told herself again. Then she remembered the man on the Burlington street. It had been too dark to see the evil lines in his face. Yet a shiver of fear ran through Libby—a shiver so strong that she trembled.

With all her heart, she wanted Jordan’s mother and sisters and brother to reach freedom. With all her heart, she wanted Jordan to find the father who had been sold away from the family. But Libby knew how dangerous it would be.

One idea haunted her.
How can we hide from Riggs wherever we go?

As if knowing her thoughts, Caleb spoke. “We can be sure of one thing. Riggs will do everything he can to stop us. Wherever we are, he won’t be far behind!”