I didn’t get back from there until halfway through the afternoon. I walked along the waterfront and was making my way to the house when I saw Hudson running toward me.

“Come quickly,” he cried. “The Boss is dying.” So we ran into the house. And they told me there that the Boss had been struck by a terrible crisis not long after I had left, and that he wasn’t like to live. And they took me in to see the Boss at once.

There was a doctor there, and some of the family, including Clara. The Boss was looking very gray, and I saw that his breathing was shallow. But he recognized me, and when I went to his side, he tried to smile.

“I’m safe back, Boss,” I said. “And I’m sorry not to see you looking better.” Then he tried to say something to me, though it just came out like a strange noise. But I knew what he was saying. He was telling me, “You’re free, Quash. You’re free.” And although nobody could understand him, I smiled and said: “I know, Boss. I know.” After a moment, his head fell back and I said: “Don’t you worry yourself about that now, Boss.” And I took his hand. Then he frowned, and he seemed to be trying to shake my arm; then he stared very hard into my eyes. And I knew what he wanted. “I ain’t forgotten my promise, Boss,” I said. “I remember what you told me to do.” And although he couldn’t speak, he squeezed my hand.

The Boss lived through most of that day. Early in the evening, I was in the yard with Hudson when Clara came out with tears in her eyes and told me that the Boss had another huge seizure, and that he was gone.

“I know you loved him, Quash,” she said.

“Yes, Miss Clara,” I said. And part of me was sad because, as the life of a slave goes, the Boss certainly treated me as well as any slave can hope for. But part of me was just thinking about my freedom. I didn’t know if the Boss had told the family I was free, but I knew it was in his will, so I wasn’t worried.

The Boss’s funeral was a big affair. Half of the city of New York was there, I reckon, Dutch and English alike. And everyone was very kind and respectful to the Mistress. That evening she went over to Jan’s house for a while. And while she was gone, it occurred to me that this would be a good time to get the Boss’s Indian belt from its hiding place. So I went and did that, and keeping it wrapped up, I took it to where I slept, and hid it there; and nobody was the wiser.