went to the house of one of her sons.  He expressed great interest for the woman, and said he wished to obtain an interview with her for her benefit.  His friendly garb and kind language completely deceived her son, and he told him that his mother was then staying at his brother’s house, which was not far off.  Having obtained this information, the slaveholder procured a constable and immediately went to the place described.  Fortunately, the son was at home, and it being warm weather he sat near the open door.  The mother was seated at a chamber window, and saw a constable approaching the house, with a gentleman in Quaker costume, whom she at once recognized as her master.  She gave the alarm to her son, who instantly shut the door and fastened it.  The master, being refused admittance, placed a guard there, while he went to procure a search-warrant.  These proceedings attracted the attention of colored neighbors, and a crowd soon gathered about the house.  They seized the man who guarded the door, and held him fast, while the woman and her fugitive son rushed out.  It was dusk, and the uncertain light favored their escape.  They ran about a mile, and took refuge with a colored family in Locust-street.  The watchman soon got released from the colored people who held him, and succeeded in tracing the woman to her new retreat, where he again mounted guard.  The master returned meanwhile, and having learned the circumstances, went to the magistrate to obtain another warrant to search the house in Locust-street.

At this stage of the affair, Friend Hopper was summoned, and immediately went to the rescue, accompanied by one of his sons, about sixteen years old.  He found the woman and her son stowed away in a closet, exceedingly terrified.  He assured them they would be quite as safe on the mantel-piece, as they would be in that closet; that their being found concealed would be regarded as the best evidence that they were the persons sought for.  Knowing it was dangerous for them to remain in that house, he told them of a plan he had formed, on the spur of the moment.  After giving them careful instructions how to proceed, he left them and requested that the street door might be opened for him.  A crowd immediately rushed in, as he had foreseen would be the case.  He affected to be greatly displeased, and ordered the men of the house to turn all the intruders out.  They obeyed him; and among the number turned out were the two fugitives.  It was dark, and in the confusion, the watchman on guard could not distinguish them among the multitude.

Friend Hopper had hastily consigned them to his son, with instructions to take them to his house; and the watchman, seeing that he himself remained about the premises, took it for granted that the fugitives had not escaped.