"Judge Halverston's got a hand in this, I warrant," said Daniel to George and Mr. Fairfield.
"What a fine welcome Hannibal wants for us, folks!" shouted Fairfield over the noise, and Daniel could feel everyone's confidence onboard rise with each new selection of the band. After playing "Dixie," the band went to "Turkey in the Straw."
With the boat secured, Mr. Fairfield went into his act as Isaac Colfax by leaping onto the cabin roof and standing by the banner which proclaimed his name and his business in two-foot high lettering. The crowd fell instantly silent, anxious to hear the showman talk. Isaac Colfax wore a black suit, vest and top hat, and his beard and mustache lent a respectable air, and he looked like a ringmaster in a circus. "Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls of Hannibal!" he began. "The Colfax Excursion Tour of the Great Mississippi has not received so warm and hospitable a welcome in all of its ports-of-call as this! Not in New Orleans and not in Vicksburg or St. Louis!"
The crowd cheered at this.
"Friends, friends and citizens of Hannibal! We have traveled the river from its beginnings in Minnesota to its terminus at the Gulf of Mexico and back, my friends, and we have not met warmer, kinder souls on our journey than yours right here in Hannibal, Missouri!"
Again the crowd cheered and hats flew up over-head.
Mr. Fairfield told them who he was, introduced his sons, his crew, including Daniel, and with a wave of the hand, he indicated his passengers. "Fine upstanding black citizenry of the free states of the North, free men, women and children who had been smitten with the curiosity of their race to see how people in the South really live...and how you all really treat your slaves. These folks don't want to hear it from the newspapers, dime novels or abolitionist preachers, my friends. No, they come to visit in order to see the wonders of the South firsthand."
This is truly a brazen act, Daniel thought.
Colfax, continued, "My father and his father before him led excursions up and down every river system in this here country, and I took up the slack! Born of an adventurer, I have myself become one, and I expect my sons will carry on with the Colfax Excursion Line when I am gone on to my reward! But today is not a day for speaking of the grim or grand prospects that lie ahead, my friends. No today is a day to speak of the price of a ticket aboard the Colfax Excursion Tour. We are, admittedly, on the last leg of our arduous voyage, but we do have a number of berths left aboard for any man bold enough, and with enough coin jingling in his pocket, to take you onboard!"
"What's left to see on your tour?" shouted a black man in the crowd on the wharf, and Daniel saw that it was Old Billy. "Can't be much left if'n you're going north from here."
"Why, you'll travel to the most exotic cities along the river north of Missouri! Into the great northern reaches, to see Keokuk, Clinton, Dubuque, Moline, Rock Island and Freeport."
"What about St. Paul and Minnesota?" asked Judge Halverston.
"Where's that?" asked another in the crowd.
"On the schedule!" replied Colfax to both questions with a resounding thud of the cane he had been clutching and punctuating his words with.
"Up the river, boys!" shouted Robert Fairfield to bolster his father's efforts.
"Why Hannibal's my latest addition to the schedule, folks! And I can pick you up here now and have you back before Christmas dinner. All a man needs is the four-dollar fee and the good sense to use it wisely."
As the crowd cheered this, Mr. Colfax's slaves acted the part of slaves, resting from their labors, while Colfax's paying customers, the black sight-seers, made a great show of curiosity about Hannibal and its people. They stared and pointed out such things as the clock tower, the church steeple and the grocery to one another. Daisy had flipped out a pair of glasses on a stick and she placed them up to her eyes, working hard to see something Ichabod pointed out, slaves sleeping out on the stern of a steamboat docked alongside them. This human cargo was being carried to the Deep South. Some of the slaves aboard the steamer had been roused by the noise of the crowd and Colfax's speech-making. One of them began playing a mouth organ, and he fit his sound right in with that of the band on shore.
Colonel Halverston stepped forward and took the gangplank for Colfax's excursion boat. Waving his white hat as he did so, he quieting the crowd. His eyes locked on George and he muttered, "Are you people plain crazy?" But aloud, he shouted, "Folks, folks, everyone!" He gained their attention even as he shook hands with Isaac Colfax. "Unhappy as I am to do this, unfortunate as it is, I cannot allow Mr. Colfax's Excursion Line to operate here."
"What?" burst out one man in the crowd.
"Why not?" asked Colfax, his face wrinkled up in confusion for the benefit of the crowd.
"Because there is no record in the courthouse of any license or payment for use of the landing by his company. And since Mr. Colfax here does not have his papers in order..."
"Oh, come on, judge!" shouted one man in the crowd whom Daniel recognized as the store clerk, eager for the business the sight-seers would bring his way, "Can't that kind of thing be taken care of here and now?"
"Colfax here hasn't got a permit, and he knows how these things work! You have to have your papers in order if you're turning a profit on our landing, sir."
"They'll be needing supplies, judge," countered the store clerk, and meantime, you and Mr. Colfax can work out any details necessary. "We want everyone happy, so that Mr. Colfax will come again with his excursion to Hannibal and not bypass us!"
"You're standing in the way of progress, judge," came another unhappy merchant.
"Progress and trade," said another.
"And hospitality," said a woman in the crowd.
"Why, this could become a regular stopping place for all the showboats, and not just freighters," said another man.
Reverend Thornbush pushed forward, saying, "This here Mr. Colfax and his excursion line means prosperity, perhaps more jobs, Judge Halverston. Why, he's already hired young Daniel Webster Jackson."
"Hip-hip, hurray for Daniel!" shouted Joe Grier, who stood amid the crowd with other town boys, and the others took up the cheer, all beaming with pride to know someone their age with so fine a profession as galley boy on an excursion line. Daniel waved at the crowd.
"He's already got Hannibal on the schedule, judge, dear," moaned Amanda Halverston, the colonel's wife.
"Best do as the missus says, judge," said Old Billy, holding back a laugh.
Fairfield whispered in Halverston's ear, "Nice try, but it looks like we got public opinion on our side."
Both men were shaking hands and smiling at the crowd, but through clenched teeth, Halverston warned, "The longer you stay in Hannibal, the surer someone will discover your secrets, Mr. Fairfield."
Fairfield looked from Halverston to George, realizing how easily this stranger to him had put it all together. Given George's presence, along with Daniel's, it was an easy connection to make.
"Shall I take our passengers on the tour of the town. Pa?" asked Robert Fairfield.
Halverston bit his lip and declared for the crowd, saying, "All right! I know when I'm out-numbered, folks, and I do want your vote come next election. Guess Mr. Colfax and I can strike a deal down at the courthouse."
The passengers of the Colfax Excursion Line and the Hannibal people all erupted into cheers, and Daisy, with Ichabod on her arm, was the first to follow Robert down the gangplank and onto the dusty sand roads of Hannibal. There, Robert, acting as tour guide, led the freeborn black passengers from home to home, taking his cue from a map drawn him by Daniel, pointing out the oldest building in Hannibal, naming her first pioneers, giving some history, all information Daniel had learned from Mrs. Shorr's schoolroom. They went from public buildings to stores and the livery stable, examining everything.
The passengers in their gay colors of orange, green, yellow, red and blue tipped their hats and smiled at everyone they passed. A crowd of Hannibal people had, from the start of the tour, gathered behind the sight-seers, all curious and intere
sted to know what it was about Hannibal that Robert, the tour guide, had to say.
"When do we gets to see the jail?" asked Grady boldly.
"Always wanted to look in on a real western lawless town jail," said Tom.
"Yeah, where you all keep the outlaws?" asked Sissy with George on her arm.
"You saw some in St. Louis, Miss Eloise," said George. "How come you want to see more of the same?"
Tom twirled his cane and Daisy her parasol, and even from the boat where Daniel had remained behind, he took pride in their boldness and the liveliness in their steps. They'd done it. They had fooled Hannibal into believing the unbelievable, thanks to Mr. Fairfield and everyone's sticking to the plan.
Ichabod, Daisy, Sissy, and George, along with most of the passengers who'd stepped down the gangplank and into the life of Hannibal, continued to follow Robert Fairfield's lead, all looking fine in their frilly white shirts, ties and coats, wide-skirted dresses and scarves.
They had marched clear to the mill near the south end of town. It was a great grist mill, three stories high, situated on a rock-solid foundation. The huge waterwheel caught the spillover of the Mississippi in a backwash and turned it to good use. The mill ground corn, barley, wheat and oats for surrounding farmers. Robert Fairfield knew well enough to flatter the operator, shake hands and ask him to explain how his mill worked. The owner beamed and explained in glowing terms how his operation kept Hannibal on the map.
Daniel had broken free of the boys at the landing who wanted to hear all about his running away only to come back so fine and heroic with a job on the big excursion boat. He wanted to join the tour, and as he approached the mill, he saw two riders coming at them from the south road, and he recognized Sheriff Brisbane. George and Robert saw him coming, too, and suddenly, the tour was over, everyone hearing Robert say, "Next stop is aways up- river, folks. Time to get ourselves back aboard the Colfax. "We're behind schedule, folks!" He tried to keep his voice calm.
"Isn't that Sheriff Brisbane?" asked the mill operator, as he looked down the road.
But George and Robert were no longer at his side and had already herded the group back toward the landing, almost at a run. Trying to keep up a good appearance at the same time, young Robert pointed out the school. Daniel saw a stern Mrs. Shorr giving him the evil-eye. Next Robert pointed out the richest looking houses in Hannibal and the great lighthouse on Cardiff Hill. They passed the smithy shop, the tanner's, the dyer's, sheep pens, pig pens, and the local saloon, Robert commenting on each in fast fashion while keeping everyone moving toward the boat.
People who had known Daniel his entire life, for the first time ever wanted to shake his hand, but he couldn't dawdle. One man said for all to hear, "I never knowed no son of Hannibal who'd become such an important person!" Daniel turned to see it was Reverend Thornbush, beaming and speaking to a group at the livery stable. "Real fashionable all around," commented one of his listeners. Daniel saw the jealous looks darting to him from the boys in Joe Grier's camp.
Joe stepped up and stopped Daniel at the gangplank, and while everyone else was boarding, Joe said, "Wish I'd have gone with you the night you lit out, Daniel. Maybe now I'd be working for the Colfax Line, too. You think you might put in a word for me?"
"I'll do what I can. No promises."
Daniel saw Brisbane and Lem, barreling toward the landing, heading straight for them, but the curious crowd got in their way, one man grabbing the reins of the sheriff’s horse, asking what had happened. Brisbane's leg was in bandages, and he looked as if he'd been in a drunken brawl. Lem pointed at Daniel and shouted, "It's them, sheriff! The ones who shot you down!"
George grabbed Daniel by the shoulders. "Mr. Colfax has lifted anchor, son! You going or staying?"
They rushed up the gangplank, leaving the onlookers wondering what was happening. The flatboat moved from the landing, keelboat men fast at work as the passengers waved Hannibal goodbye. Daniel shouted his final goodbye to Joe, and waved his straw hat.
A shot rang out; the bullet whizzed through Daniel's straw hat, and Daniel heard George half shout, half curse as he hit the deck. Sissy screamed. Daniel saw that the sheriff still had his rifle aimed at the boat.
George's blood colored the gray wood deck, his white shirt stained just as quickly. "He's bleeding bad!" shouted Daniel.
Daisy fell to her knees over George, shielding him, crying over his pain and crying for help.
Daniel turned back toward the deck and saw Colonel Halverston knocking Lem off his feet and snatching the rifle from Sheriff Brisbane, calling for men to help him take the shooters into custody.
Mr. Fairfield studied George's wound. "It's bad, folks," he said. We need to get George to a doctor, and that means we have to turn back to Hannibal, now!"
Grady and Tom stood over Fairfield. Grady slowly said, "We ain't turning this boat back for Hannibal and slavery." He held a gun on Mr. Fairfield.
"Are you crazed, man? They'll cut us out of the water at Cardiff Hill!" Mr. Fairfield yelled.
"They'll sell us South for sure if we go back!" Grady shouted.
"If they don't see us turn around now, they'll know we're guilty of making fools of them all, and every man onshore will get a rifle and come to the turkey shoot, Mr. Grady, and my sons and I don't want to become turkeys anymore than you or these other people do! Now do as I say."
Robert Fairfield held a cocked gun to Grady's temple now, saying, "Do as my pa says Mr. Grady, or you won't never have to worry about being sold nowhere ever again in this life."
Grady's jaw worked for a moment. No one breathed. John Fairfield held out a hand to take Grady's gun from him, saying, "This way, no one else gets killed either here or onshore, Mr. Grady."
Grady gave up the gun, but said, "All the same, I'll be making my own way from here; me and Tom have our own plan."
Tom added, "We'll take our chances with the river. Dive in over the lee side."
"No!" shouted Ichabod. "We come into this thing all together, and we'll see it through together. We can still brazen this thing through."
"We try to run," said Fairfield, "and they'll be picking us off from upriver on that bluff. It'll be a blood bath. You want that?'
"How many for letting George's life bleed away?" asked Ichabod. "How many for making free over his death?"
No one stirred. "We still have right on our side," said Daniel. "We're still an excursion company, and you all still have your freedom papers and your freedom attitudes. We go back into Hannibal, and we brazen it out just like we did all morning, only this time, one of us has been unlawful shot by a man who ain't sheriff in these parts no more. We still got colonel and Judge Halverston on our side."
"Daniel's right, we have a good chance to pull this off," said Fairfield.
"Then what're we waiting for?" asked Grady.
"Mr. Wileford," said Tom to Grady, "I believe you're right to be angry over this outrage."
"Indeed, Mr. Radcliff the Third, I am."
"Turn her back for shore, men!" shouted Fairfield, while Robert and Sissy tended to George's wound. "And pass the word. We have our papers, along with our rights as American citizens. We'll demand to know why one of my passengers has been shot by this man, Brisbane."
"Dern near got Daniel, too," said Tom, lifting Daniel's hat to show off the hole in it. "Lucky you weren't wearing it."
Entering Hannibal Landing for the second time, they found the mood of the crowd grim. The women and children and band had disappeared. Joe Grier and his friends hung back behind barrels. Colfax's passengers and crew faced guns all around. A lone slave aboard the steamer played his mouth organ. All the other slaves at the stern of the paddle-wheeler watched the unfolding drama with great interest.
Daniel studied the faces confronting them, searching for Colonel Halverston, and when he did see him, the colonel, too, held a pointed gun, and he was giving the order to fire if anyone showed any sign of resistance. Daniel's heart sank, but he stood tall beside Mr. Fairfield. Mr. Fairfi
eld held out his papers, proof of ownership of the barge, proof of the company's history and habits, proof of his and his son's identities. This set the example for the runaways in his care. Ichabod held up his freedom papers, and the wind rippled them in the breeze. This done, the other slaves lifted out their papers, too.
Colfax leapt onto a crate and then onto the cabin roof again, making of himself an easy target for the sixty or so guns leveled at him, and he shouted, "Gentlemen! I demand to know why? Why has one of your number bloodied my excursion boat? Why have you done this awful deed? I will, sirs, protect the life of every single passenger aboard with my own life's blood." He lifted two huge six-shooters from the holsters about his hips and finished with, "One more volley at the Colfax, sirs, and I'll kill every man jack of you, before I am put to my grave!"
Missourians understood bravery when they saw it. Daniel watched as the guns on shore leveled out. Colonel Halverston shouting, "Allow Colfax and his people to give themselves up. If there is any truth to what Mr. Brisbane and his man asserts, then we will get at it in a court of law, and not here on the street. Give these people safe passage to my courthouse," he ordered the new sheriff and his men. "We'll sort this out there! Are you agreeable, Mr. Colfax?"
Colfax took a long moment to scan conditions both on the boat and on the landing. Finally, he said, "We are agreeable sir, and we take your word as that of a man of honor." He lowered his two hog-gutters, and Daniel
breathed easier. He had half feared that Colfax might just unload his weapons on the crowd, he was that convincing.
Sheriff Brisbane, held by two men, pointed and shouted, "These men stole my keelboat and all the property I had on it! This here excursion business is a lie!"
"You're no longer sheriff of Hannibal. Mr. Brisbane," shouted the former judge of Hannibal, Judge Hatcher, stepping into the fray. "Since your secretive business ventures often took you away, you were voted out, as was I. When you fired on these freeborn black people, you did so as a private citizen, and not as a representative of the law in Hannibal." He then addressed Colfax, saying, "I for one, sir, am sorely grieved by all this. Was anyone hurt onboard?"
Daniel Webster Jackson & The Wrongway Railroad Page 14
