One of them is a girl! didn’t yon know it? ”When he stopped and gave a chance to answer, the Captain said, “I know nothing about it. I saw them here this morning, and suppose they came aboard somewhere last night.” “All right,” said Curtis, “and Captain, I want you to do me a favor. You go to Detroit, I believe.” “Yes,” said the Captain. “Well, if you will stop your boat at a convenient place in Detroit Diver, and let us ashore, I will give you a hundred dollars. The city of Detroit is a very unsafe place in which to handle this kind of property.” “Very well,” said the Captain, “I will land at any place you choose, and will charge you nothing for it.” “Thank you,” said Curtis, “but I shall pay you well for the favor.”
Captain Titus turned and walked toward his office, beckoning his mate, who had heard the last part of the conversation, to go with him. They entered the office and the Captain locked the door, and taking a seat he exclaimed, “‘Pay well for the favor!’ I’ll put him and his hound ashore as I promised, without reward, but as for those poor frightened fugitives, nothing was said about them, and there is not money enough in Kentucky to induce me to put them ashore with him. ‘Pay well for the favor!’ I have already been paid well for the favor that shall be theirs.”
Captain Titus was deeply affected, and sat some time apparently unable to speak. As soon as he could, he said to his mate, “William, you were not on that unfortunate boat with me when she was burned, and I think you never saw James B, my colored steward on that boat. He was of the same race as the millions of men, women and children that are held in bondage under the flag that flies at our mast-head. The only shameful thing that can be said of the old flag is that it protects men in doing so foul a deed. I did not always
