Being early in September, the weather was still moderate,however there was beginning to be a chill when the sun went down. At this point, Chance felt they had gone a considerable distance, but he had no way of knowing how far. As darkness came he motioned to the party, signalling them to rise and continue to follow him as he trailed the edge of the small stream they had found.
From their vantage point in the waist-high weeds,which afforded them a fair amount of cover, they had a view of the road, perhaps 300 feet from them, which at first had hardly been occupied, but now there was a noticeable amount of wagon and carriage traffic, which seemed to be increasing by the minute.
There seemed to be no danger to them, as the traffic seemed to only be bent on proceeding as quickly as possible toward Laurenceville.
It was Charles who had first notice of the cause of their flight,although he had no idea what he was seeing in the northern sky.
"Chance, we still goin' north? Chance assured him that they were and at the same instant realized the reason for the question. "That's not the sun coming up. Anyways we ain't been travlin that long. Don't know how the sky could be that red,." Robin came alongside, and asked" What town is on the north side of Larenceville Chance?" "Don't know the name," Chance told him "but must be a big town for I once heard Mr.Barton talkin to miss Amelia, bout how many grand houses they was up north, and he just got back from some big doins' and someday they were goin to go together so's she could buy some real lady clothes. Seems he told me the name, but I sure can't remember."
They continued on for what seemed several hours, and the farther they traveled, the brighter the sky became in the direction of their progress. In the eerie glow looking toward the road,There was what seemed to be a pole, with a wood slat attached to the uppermost part. James remarked to no one in particular,"That sure looks like a road marker over there, maybe I could go see what it says."
Not being aware of James' skill in reading they all simply attributed
his remark to what they had been told of his lack of good sense.
Otherwise how could he think a pole could say any thing?
Before he could be cautioned to stay in place, James was sprinting across the field, and soon was standing, staring at the board attached to the pole. Immediately he was on his way back, running up to Chance, to give him the news he had found. "Mr. Chance, that is a sign put up for people to know how far they are from the next town.
It says that we are five miles from Atlanta up ahead, and behind us it is twenty-five miles to Laurenceville. That's how far we have walked so far. Twenty-five miles." They were stunned to realise, that although they had all seen books with these symbols on them, and knew that some white people could make sense of these, how could it be that this young man whom they all had thought of as slow in the head, could read words.
Chance had instantly acquired a new appreciation for this young man, whom he had so underrated, and knew that he must make time to speak with him and show him the respect that he deserved, but at the moment he must use this new information which James had provided, and apply it to his plan of proceeding north.
Being so near to what he knew to be the large city that Atlanta was, he felt that the safest course would be to avoid going directly into the main part,but turn more in a westerly direction, making a curve around the larger area of habitation.