Midnight Rescue
Authors: Lois Walfrid Johnson
Intertwining fictional characters with real-life people and critical moments in American history, Lois Walfrid Johnson creates novels certain to catch the attention of readers, and then leaves them wanting to read and learn more. Johnson does an incredible job of bringing us into the lives of the American people in 1857. These adventure-filled, educational books should be read by youth everywhere.
—BILL INGEBRIGTSEN
, Minnesota State Senator, former sheriff
Lois Walfrid Johnson writes stories kids love. When they were young, my daughters read her Freedom Seekers books, and really enjoyed them. These are stories that not only entertain, but call children to conviction, courage, and Christ-centered living. I highly recommend Lois and these excellent books.
—RANDY ALCORN
,
New York Times
bestselling author of forty books including
Heaven
I’ve used
Escape into the Night
in my classroom for many years and am thrilled to see the new Freedom Seekers edition coming out with study guides. My students have always enjoyed the well-developed characters and engaging storylines. As a teacher I have appreciated the historical accuracy and timeless spiritual truths.
—
JOCELYN ANDERSON
, teacher, Our Redeemer’s Christian School, Minot, ND
It’s difficult to find a series of books written for a variety of age groups with both boys and girls and yet remain historically accurate. Mrs. Johnson has succeeded in doing so in the Freedom Seekers series. Set in a geographic area that runs north and south, she describes weather conditions and topographical features that impacted the daring adventures of the main characters, their clothing, and even their food.
While developing the character of Peter, Mrs. Johnson visited with students at the Illinois School for the Deaf, including students in my classroom. We compared and contrasted the life of Peter to their lives. After all, Peter could have stood in our classroom! Often a child becomes a lifelong reader, simply because they relate to a character in a book. My students related to Peter, not only because he was deaf, but because he had so much more in common with them.
—
KATHLEEN COOK
, teacher, Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville, IL
I want to thank you on behalf of my class and their families for your wonderful books. I teach a reading class at a homeschool co-op in Washington State. I can’t count how many times the parents of my students have thanked me for the class and told me that their child never enjoyed reading like they do now. They have to hold their children back from reading ahead of the others! So many families who are not in my class have begun to read your books. We may have started an epidemic, and one that I am happy to be a part of.
I hope you have more books on the horizon. Your fans here in Gig Harbor, Washington, will be on the lookout for them!
—MARYANN KING
, homeschool co-op teacher, Washington State
Your books have encouraged me in trusting in God more and more. Your characters, especially Libby Norstad, Caleb Whitney, and Jordan Parker, sound just so realistic! I sometimes wish that they were real!!!!!! I like how you introduced a new character [Peter] in the fourth book. It kept the story even more exciting than it is!
—
S.
, young reader, Texas
After I read one of your books I often end up asking myself,
Would I have helped slaves or not?
I have come up with an answer. I would help them because all people are equal and have the right to be free in the sight of God.
—C. B.
, young reader, Kentucky
We love how you incorporate biblical principles into your stories. When Caleb trusts God and Libby struggles in the same areas we do, it shows us that through God we can overcome every obstacle, because He is our light and our salvation.
—
C. FAMILY
, Ohio
The Freedom Seekers
1. Escape into the Night
2. Race for Freedom
3. Midnight Rescue
4. The Swindler’s Treasure
5. Mysterious Signal
6. The Fiddler’s Secret
Adventures of the Northwoods
1.
The Disappearing Stranger
2.
The Hidden Message
3.
The Creeping Shadows
4.
The Vanishing Footprints
5.
Trouble at Wild River
6.
The Mysterious Hideaway
7.
Grandpa’s Stolen Treasure
8.
The Runaway Clown
9.
Mystery of the Missing Map
10.
Disaster on Windy Hill
Series also available in German and Swedish
Viking Quest
1.
Raiders from the Sea
2.
Mystery of the Silver Coins
3.
The Invisible Friend
4.
Heart of Courage
5.
The Raider’s Promise
Series also available in Norwegian
Faith Girlz: Girl Talk: 52 Weekly Devotions
Also available in the UK
For adults:
Either Way, I Win: God’s Hope for Difficult Times
MIDNIGHT RESCUE
LOIS WALFRID JOHNSON
MOODY PUBLISHERS
CHICAGO
© 2013, 1996
LOIS WALFRID JOHNSON
Previously published as
The Riverboat Adventures Series
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Interior Design: Ragont Design
Side-wheeler illustration by Toni Auble
Map of Upper Mississippi by Meridian Mapping
Cover Design: Faceout Studio, Tim Green
Cover Illustration: Odessa Sawyer
978-0-8024-0718-4- Printed by Bethany Press in Bloomington, MN – 05/13
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Johnson, Lois Walfrid.
Midnight rescue / by Lois Walfrid Johnson.
p. cm. — (The Freedom Seekers; #3)
Sequel to: Race for freedom
Summary: In 1857, having arrived in Minnesota Territory on her father’s steamboat, twelve-year-old Libby continues to harbor the runaway slave boy Jordan while worrying about a fugitive who has escaped from the local prison.
ISBN 978-0-8024-0718-4
[1. Underbround railroad—Fiction. 2. Fugitive slaves—Fiction. 3. Slavery—Fiction. 4. Afro-Americans—Fiction. 5. Steamboats—Fiction. 6. Mississippi River—Fiction. 7. Prisoners—Fiction. 8. Christian life—Fiction.]
I. Title. II. Series. Johnson, Lois Walfrid. Freedom Seekers; #3
PZ7.J63255Mi 1996
[Fic]—dc20
96-45763
CIP
AC
We hope you enjoy this book from River North Fiction by Moody Publishers. Our goal is to provide high-quality, thought-provoking books and products that connect truth to your real needs and challenges. For more information on other books and products written and produced from a biblical perspective, go to
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Printed in the United States of America
To Nate
because you, too,
are a Freedom Seeker.
Thank you!
********
Major David McKee, Benjamin Franklin Pearson, Dr. Edwin James, the fugitive Dick, Dr. William Salter, Governor and Senator James Wilson Grimes, and Colonel David Moore are historic persons who lived in the 1850s. The numerous escapes from the Minnesota Territorial Prison in Stillwater are also a part of history. However, Sam McGrady and all other characters are fictitious and spring with gratitude for life from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.
In 1857 the Native Americans in the Stillwater, Minnesota, area were called
Sioux
and
Chippewa
. Now the Sioux prefer to be called
Dakota
and many Chippewa are once again using the name of
Ojibwa
(Oh-JIB-wah).
In the time in which this book is set,
African Americans were called Negro,
the Spanish word for black,
or colored people.
Excerpt from
The Swindler’s Treasure
CHAPTER 1