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‘ [154] appearance, and I shall be obliged to forfeit your recognizance.’

‘A thousand dollars is a large sum to lose,’ rejoined Friend Hopper. ‘But if it comes to the worst, I suppose we must make up our minds to pay the United States all the claim they have upon us.’

‘The United States! The United States!’ exclaimed the magistrate quickly. He turned to look at his docket, and after a slight pause he said to the claimant, ‘There is difficulty here. You had better employ counsel.’

Thomas Ross, a respectable lawyer, who lived a few doors above, was summoned, and soon made his appearance. Having heard the particulars of the case briefly stated, he also examined the docket; then turning to Isaac T. Hopper, with a comical gesture and tone, he exclaimed, ‘Eh!’ To the claim. ant he said, ‘You must catch your slave again if you can; for you can do nothing with these securities.’

Of course, the master was very angry, and so was the magistrate, who had inadvertently written the recognizance just as it was dictated to him. They charged Friend Hopper with playing a trick upon them, and threatened to prosecute him. He told them he had no fears concerning a prosecution; and if he had played a trick, he thought it was better

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