Eliza had laid her child to sleep in the village hotel by the side of the river, before the men came into the same place. Eliza was standing by the window, when she saw Sam. Haley and Andy were two yards behind.

Eliza’s room had a side door to the river. She caught her child, and rushed outside. The trader saw her just as she was running towards the bank. He threw himself from the horse, called loudly to Sam and Andy and rushed after her. A few moments later she was at the water’s edge. With one wild cry she jumped over the current of water on a piece of ice. The huge green mass of ice on which she landed creaked, but she stayed there only a moment. She jumped to another cake of ice. Then to another! And another again! Her shoes were gone. Her stockings were cut away, and blood from her feet marked every step. But she saw nothing, felt nothing, till, as in a dream, she saw the Ohio side, and a man helping her up the bank.

You’re a brave girl!' said the man.

Eliza recognized the voice and face of the man who had a farm not far from her old home.

'Oh, Mr. Symmes! Save me. Please, hide me!' said Eliza.

Why, what’s this?' said the man. Why, it’s Shelby’s girl!’

'My child! This boy! He’d sold him! There is his Master,' she said, pointing to the Kentucky bank.

'I’d be glad to do something for you,' he said, 'but then there’s nowhere I could take you. The best I can do is to tell you to go there,' he said, pointing to a large white house which stood by itself, off the main street of the village. 'Go there. They’re kind folks. They’ll help you. They’re up to all that sort of thing.’

'Thank you, sir,' said Eliza.

She walked firmly away with her son in her arms. The man stood and looked after her.

'Shelby,' he thought, 'perhaps you’ll say this isn’t the best thing in the world to expect from a neighbour. But what else can I do? If you meet one of my girls in the same trouble, you can pay me back. I don’t like to be a hunter for other folks.’

Haley couldn’t believe what he had seen. When Eliza disappeared up the bank, he turned to Sam and Andy.

The girl’s got seven devils in her, I believe!’ said Haley. 'She jumped like a wildcat!'

'Well, now,' said Sam, scratching his head. 'I hope Master will excuse us. Don’t think I can jump like that, no way!' And he laughed.

You laugh!' said the trader.

'I can’t help it now, Master,' said Sam. 'She jumps; ice cracks! How she goes!' And Sam and Andy laughed till the tears rolled down their cheeks.

Til make you cry!' said the trader, laying about their heads with his whip. Both ran shouting up the bank, and were on their horses before he was up.