Midnight Rescue

by Lois Walfrid Johnson

  “It’s Sam McGrady,” she whispered.

  With Caleb on one side of Libby and Jordan on the other, the three walked forward. Staying a short distance behind Sam, they followed him up the gangplank. Then they closed in behind him.

  “Good evening, Captain,” McGrady said as though he were a Red Shirt returning from a visit to town.

  “Good evening,” Captain Norstad replied. “Welcome aboard.”

  As Pa glanced beyond the man to Libby, McGrady started to slip past him. But Libby spoke up.

  “Pa, I’d like you to meet the Stillwater prisoner, Sam McGrady.”

  As if Libby were out of her mind, Captain Norstad stared at her. “Libby,” he began, “do you understand what you’re saying?”

  To Libby’s surprise Sam didn’t try to get away. Instead, he looked her father in the eye.

  “She’s right, Captain. I escaped from the Minnesota Territorial Prison. I want to go back.”

  “Go back?” Again Captain Norstad stared, this time at Sam McGrady.

  But now Sam looked Jordan in the eye. “Your words started eatin’ on me.”

  “’Cause I said I risked my life for you? there ain’t no bigger sacrifice anybody can give?” Jordan asked.

  McGrady nodded.

  “That, and something else too.”

  Sam glanced toward Libby. “I heard what you said to her that day on deck. You told her, ‘You can’t run away from yourself.’ It took a while, but I finally figured it out. Trying to run from myself is a whole lot harder than running away from someone else.”

  Once again Sam faced Captain Norstad. “I don’t have the money to buy a ticket up the river. If you take me to Stillwater, I’ll go back to prison. If I finish serving my time, I can be with my family again.”

  “As a changed man?” the captain asked.

  “As a changed man,” Sam promised. “I won’t steal any clothes on the way there.”

  Captain Norstad stretched out his hand, and Sam McGrady shook on it. Then he looked at Jordan. “You got your freedom. I’m going to get mine.”

  As Sam McGrady left them, Pa opened his arms to Libby. When they closed around her, she felt warm with love for her father.

  “Welcome home, Libby,” he said. “Every time you come back, it feels better.”

  “We’re a never-give-up family, aren’t we?” Libby said. “We like being together.”

  Looking down at her, Pa grinned. “I suspect you have a lot to tell me. But I also think your work isn’t quite finished. When you get time, why don’t you come to my cabin and tell me why I need to buy so many blankets and quilts?”

  As Pa started up the stairway, Jordan slipped away. Soon after he disappeared between the buildings near the waterfront, Caleb lit the lantern. Once again he and Libby waited. They watched for shadows, movements, and any hidden person. But this time they stood on the deck of the Christina.

  Finally Caleb lifted the glass of the lantern and blew out the flame. When Jordan and his family started up the gangplank, Libby heard no sound from their bare feet. Without a word Jordan led them around the wide stairs into the cargo room.

  Walking forward to the bow of the boat, Libby and Caleb sat down to wait. It wasn’t hard for Libby to imagine Jordan pushing aside the machinery near the engine room door. In her mind’s eye she saw him pull up the hatch. She saw Serena, Zack, Hattie, and little Rose climb down the ladder. She saw Jordan follow them, holding out a candle to help them find their way into the hiding place. And then Libby imagined Serena and little Rose lying down to sleep on the soft blankets and quilts.

  Before long, deckhands brought in the gangplank. As the Christina put out into the river, Libby felt relieved. Still she and Caleb waited.

  When Jordan didn’t come back, Libby knew that his family was safe. Staring up at the moon, Libby felt thankfulness well up within her.

  “Is it always like this?” she asked Caleb.

  “It’s always scary,” he said. “And something often goes wrong. But of all the times I’ve helped someone, this was the hardest.”

  “Because Jordan needed to go back not far from where he lived?”

  “That’s part of it. But it was more. I knew how much Jordan’s family meant to him.”

  Far above them the moon shone as brightly as it had the night before. The large paddle wheels slapped the water, and the waves broke against the bow of the Christina.

  “Libby,” Caleb said quietly. “Last night on the ferry, when Jordan paid the fare for his family, I saw you crying.”

  “I saw you crying too.” Libby’s voice was soft with remembering.

  As though still thinking about Jordan being able to help his family, Caleb reached out and wiped a tear from Libby’s cheek now. “It’s something important we’re doing, isn’t it?”

  Surprised, Libby stared at him, not sure if Caleb was teasing. Then she saw the serious look in his eyes. She remembered how he felt about the midnight rescue. Caleb was not teasing.

  “It’s something important we’re doing,” Libby answered. For the rest of her life she would remember Caleb’s use of the word we.

  Don’t miss the next

  Freedom Seekers book,

  The Swindler’s Treasure!

  In Galena, Illinois, Libby Norstad and her friend Caleb say goodbye to the fugitive slave Jordan. They hope to see him again soon, but a swindler has replaced the money in the Christina’s safe with worthless bills. Can Libby’s father, Captain Norstad, make up for the theft? Or will he lose the steamboat all of them love?

  Then scary things happen when Jordan is trusted with a large amount of money. How can Libby and Caleb help their friend clear his name? And what can Jordan do about finding his father? Who will reach Micah Parker first—the slave catchers or Jordan?

  Study Guide

  To access a printable pdf of this study guide, go to www.moodypublishers.com/978-0-8024-0718-4. Click the “Resources” tab to download study guide.

  When Libby thinks she can do whatever she sets out to do, she gives away a life-or-death secret. What will happen to Jordan’s family and the people who risk their lives in the Underground Railroad?

  Hi Friends—Welcome to Minnesota Territory!

  Can Libby go beyond failure and earn trust once again?

  Let’s Talk About … Words you might need

  Find a dictionary and fill in the meanings you would use when talking about a steamboat:

  navigable

  bluff, as in geography

  branch, as in a river

  tributary

  cookhouse

  roustabouts

  pike

  boom

  boom site

  raft, as for lumbermen

  red shirt

  log raft

  fugitive, as for escaped prisoner

  Let’s Talk About … The scene

  See the map at the front of the book. Notice how the St. Croix River branches off from the Mississippi River to reach Stillwater, a short distance above St. Paul. Why were navigable rivers so important in this time?

  The time In the Adventures of the Northwoods series men sent logs down the St. Croix River to sawmills in Stillwater. Other logs were floated farther downriver. Why would there be a great need for lumber?

  The reality … What is truth? And what is fiction? Do you believe that Nate is telling the truth about how many prisoners escaped? Why or why not? Keep your eyes open, and you’ll discover the answer!

  Let’s Talk About … The story

  To find something in the story, check the number (ch. 1) at the end of the first question. That means chapter 1. Look there until you see another note (ch. 2, or 3, or 4) directing you to a different chapter.

  In the second week of May, 1857, why would the people of Stillwater give the Christina such a warm welcome? (ch. 1)

  If you joined Libby and the others on the road high on the bluff how would you feel? Have you ever been on a really scary road? Describe it for us.

  Whose han
d reaches up the rope to the pipe? What clue tells you?

  In what four different ways did Nate, Jordan, Caleb, and Libby react to danger? (ch. 2)

  Why does Jordan have good reason to feel proud? What had his daddy done for him?

  How does Jordan plan to use what he calls his value?

  After the accident on the cliff, Libby thought back to her long walk from Reads Landing to Red Wing (Race for Freedom). During that time she asked God for His love and forgiveness. Now that commitment to Him is a precious memory to Libby. Why?

  From the reporter Caleb learned more about the escaped prisoner. What was his name? Why had he gone to prison? (ch. 4)

  Be a detective! Give reasons why Libby feels suspicious about the man on the deck (ch. 4) and the man in the general store. (ch. 5)

  Read the description at the beginning of chapter 5 to see how log rafts were put together. What was a string of logs?

  Let’s Talk About Freedom … What is it?

  Why does Jordan now feel overwhelmed and scared about what he plans to do? (ch. 5)

  Caleb is honest about the dangers Jordan will face, but asks, “What is God telling you?” What three gifts did the Lord give Jordan for leading his people to freedom?

  Caleb shows Jordan a verse about facing something hard. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” What does the word sufficient mean?

  Today’s English Version reads “My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.”

  How can that promise help each one of us?

  Paul believes God’s promise and says, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Why can God’s power be strongest when we feel weak?

  How did that verse help Jordan? (See ch. 5, last paragraph in the first section.)

  What did his pastor tell Jordan about the way he was created?

  What does God want you to know about how you are created?

  Let’s Talk About … Secrets

  As Libby thinks about how she gave away Jordan’s secret, what upsets her most? (ch. 6)

  Earlier in the book Libby thought that becoming a Christian would make her life easier—that she would say and do all the right things. Is that always true? Why or why not?

  Libby is so upset about telling a secret that she talks to Caleb’s grandmother. “Some secrets aren’t meant for keeping,” Gran says. “What if someone does something wrong and says you can’t tell on them?” Was Libby’s secret that kind? (ch. 7)

  What does Gran say about the kind of secret that needs to be kept?

  What does Gran tell Libby about how the Underground Railroad works? Why did Gran let Caleb be part of the Railroad? What choice did Gran make about what she believed?

  Gran tells Libby, “Sometimes we have to live with what happens because of what we did.” Explain what that means for Libby. But what hope does Gran offer Libby?

  What does Libby now understand about Jordan’s proud look?

  Let’s Talk About … Making choices

  When Libby asks Jordan, “How can you forgive me?” he says, “I ain’t got no choice” (ch. 8). What does Jordan mean?

  Do any of us have a choice about whether we forgive a person who hurts us? If we don’t forgive, what happens to us? If we do forgive, what happens to us?

  Jordan’s daddy said, “It ain’t how people treats you on the outside that counts. It’s what you is on the inside. You gots to be sure that be good, ’cause you can’t run away from yourself …” When Libby asked what Jordan meant, he said, “Wherever you is, you is the person you is goin’ to be with.” What can we do to make sure we are the person we want to be with?

  When the memory of how she had failed still troubled Libby, she asked Jordan, “What if I do the wrong thing?” What did he tell her?

  On the trip into Missouri Libby blamed herself for not being able to make connections with Caleb and Jordan. (ch. 10) Then Libby remembered Gran’s words. “Being a Christian doesn’t mean that all your problems are gone. It means that you have Jesus to help you in everything you face.” How has Jesus helped you in something you’ve faced? If you can, give examples.

  Why did a slave such as Serena use a blank look that hid her thoughts and feelings? (ch. 11)

  Whose side was Mrs. Weaver on? Why? What did she understand about herself and what she had done over the years?

  Why does Hattie want to wait for Jordan? (ch. 12) Why would it be easy for her to say, “I didn’t really hear God. That was long ago”? Why would it be easy for her to panic and leave before Jordan comes?

  What holds Hattie steady? What does she plan to do that night?

  Before the trip Caleb made a promise about how he would treat his friend Jordan (ch. 8). What was that promise? Why did Jordan know it was necessary?

  As Jordan walks toward the house, what makes him seem weak and helpless? (ch. 13)

  What song did Jordan sing? Why is it a code song?

  Why do Negro spirituals mean so much to all of us? Talk about what is often a double meaning and also a deeper meaning in the words of a song.

  What does it mean for Libby to think, Facing something hard isn’t the same as failing. I succeeded in giving Jordan time! (ch. 14). Tell about something difficult you’ve had to face. What happened?

  How can knowing how to do practical things help us follow through on what the Lord wants done?

  Why was this trip the very hardest for Caleb? Why did his words mean so much to Libby? (ch. 19)

  Lets Talk About … Digging Deeper

  To be a Freedom Seeker, it’s important to understand and follow God’s guidance.

  In John 10:14 Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (NIV). Earlier in the chapter he explains that the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. The sheep follow him because they know his voice.

  If you have a family pet—a dog, for instance—you’ve seen the same thing happen when you come home. The dog recognizes your step. He’s there to welcome you. He knows your voice.

  Jordan has an amazing ability for hearing God’s guidance. Libby asks Caleb, “How do you know if God is really talking to Jordan?” Caleb answers, “I watch to see what happens. I want to know if it’s something good, like God’s protection. If Jordan is hearing the Lord, it should help people, not hurt them.”

  If you’d like to increase your ability to hear God’s leading, it helps to ask, “Lord, what do you want me to know about …?” and finish the sentence. Write down the answers you get in a special place where you can keep a record or journal.

  Watch to see what happens in a few or many of the following ways:

  The Bible: Ask, “What kind of verse is the Lord making real to me?” The answer should fit with the overall teaching of the Bible.

  The Holy Spirit’s help: The words seem to have a holy spotlight or jump off the page.

  Inward assurance: A sense that you know what God wants.

  Peace: When praying about what to do, you sense a peace in your mind and spirit.

  Uneasiness: The opposite of peace. Pay attention. Stop! Look! Listen! What Jordan calls the jiggles.

  Godly counsel from a trustworthy Christian, often an adult.

  Practical leading: A plan, if that is needed, and a way to do it.

  Confirming circumstances: In spite of obstacles things fall in place. The plan works.

  God’s provision: Yes! Amazing!

  Go back through this novel and find the places where Jordan senses leading from the Lord. Put a marker in those places. Talk or write about the way Jordan follows the Lord’s guidance.

  Are there ways you recognize God’s leading in your own life?

  Let’s Talk About … Digging Deeper for logging

  For more about logging in Minnesota and along the Mississippi River, see the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, www.mnhs.org. See also the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center, J. C. Ryan Logging Room, in the Depot, Duluth, Minnesota, www.thehistorypeo
ple.org.

  Let’s Talk About … Digging Deeper to learn about leaders

  See the Acknowledgments in this novel for leaders in southeastern Iowa who shaped history.

  When Samson needs to rescue a young boy, Libby and Caleb pay attention. How will Peter become part of the Christina family?

  Thanks for being my friends through books. I’ll meet you in the next Freedom Seekers novel … The Swindler’s Treasure!

  A Few Words for Educators

  Dear Parents and Educators,

  The six novels in The Freedom Seekers series offer an excellent way to gain a national view of the political climate in 1857. In that critical period in American history, steamboats carried immigrants to newly opened land. Rivers were the highways of the time and the mighty Mississippi a well-traveled route. In spite of danger, injustice, and the possible loss of all they had, people of many faiths, rich and poor, slave or free, worked together for what they believed about the rights and freedoms of individuals. In life-or-death situations children, teens, and adults built the Underground Railroad.

  As I returned to this series to write study guides I was struck by the similarities between then and now. Though we are in an age of countless breakthroughs, some things have not changed—the need to value and uphold our American freedoms, the need to cherish human life, the need to stand for what we believe. Even as we had overcomers then, we have The Freedom Seekers now.

  The Freedom Seekers series also offers tools for teaching topics that help our growth as individuals. Libby, Captain Norstad, Caleb, Jordan, and their friends face questions that are still crucial today:

  Who can I trust?

  What do I really care about?

  What does it mean to be a never-give-up family?

  How can I live my belief in the freedoms established by our founding fathers? How can it help me to study the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, Amendment 1, and also Amendments 13, 14, and 15?

  In what ways do I need to recognize the Lord’s leading in both daily and life-or-death situations?

  What practical skills should I develop?

  Why do I need to put my faith in God?