Ellen's is three-quarter European stock and very light skinned. You have heard the mistress refer to her as a 'Quadroon'. Because of her light complexion she is often mistaken as being white.

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You both spend the next five evenings hatching out the details of a risky but elaborate plan to get you to Philadelphia. Your plan is to disguise yourselves as a young master and his servant and simply buy a first class train ticket to Philadelphia.

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A proper southern woman would never travel alone with her slave; that would definitely raise suspicion. So you decide that Ellen will disquise herself as a man and you will accompany her as her servant. You are grateful that you have an advantage over field slaves. Because Ellen is a cook and you are a skilled carpenter, you are considered favored servants.

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Your even temper and willingness to comply with the master's wishes has earned you his trust. He often allows you to go into town alone to buy supplies for the household. This week you will use this trust to escape.

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With the $300 you had saved from work done as a carpenter, Ellen buys or steals the necessary clothes to turn her into a 'southern gentlemen'.

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On Wednesday a stroke of luck happens. The kitchen catches fire, damaging most of the building. The main house is of course in no danger as kitchens are located in separate outbuildings. Your master needs your skills as a carpenter to rebuild the kitchen and sends you into town to order the supplies to be delievered. At the same time Ellen approaches the mistresses to ask permission to go into town to buy supplies for tonight's supper to replace those lost in the fire.

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You meet Ellen at 3:00 p.m. at the train station as planned. You almost don't recognize your wife in her black double breasted suit and fine top hat. She is wearing spectacles and her arm is bandaged in a sling. This is all part of the plan. Neither of you could read or write; it's illegal to teach a slave to do so, so it was necessary that Ellen (Master Williams) have an excuse to not be able to sign her name.

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You of course are still dressed in your simple clothes that let everyone know your status as a slave.

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Master Williams assumes the haughty role of a southern gentleman perfectly. In a gruff tone he orders you to bring the baggage and insults you for being lazy. You try not to smile to show how impressed you are by her acting skills.

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Master Williams buys a ticket for first class and you will ride in baggage with the rest of the slaves. For the next few days you are busy serving your master and carrying the luggage back and forth from the train station to elegant hotels. Young Master Williams even dines with a well known pro-slavery politician. Nobody suspects a thing.

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After 2 days, the train pulls into the train station in Philadelphia. Even in the north you are still not free, because the Fugitive Slave Law requires anyone to detain or report runaways.

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Ellen knows of a safehouse or "station" run by Quaker abolitionists. You decide to go there right away. You are strangers in this city and strangers are easy prey for slave catchers.