ALLEN JAY AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

In the ``On My Own'' series, a straightforward story based on a childhood incident recorded in Jay's autobiography. When his father gets word of an escaping slave, he tells Allen to hide him, adding (in the Quaker idiom), ``if thee does this, thee must not tell me or anyone''—thus making it possible to mislead pursuers without a direct lie. This deception, plus insistence on ``the correct papers'' before the posse searches, gains time for Allen to take ``Henry James'' by night to relatives, who get him safely to Ohio. With telling, authentic details, Brill does a good job of incorporating basics about the Underground Railroad into her narrative and bringing out its suspense. As for character, James is an assertive man who, interestingly, carries a gun; Allen is credibly courageous and quick-witted. The art, in a sturdy style rendered in muted pastels, quietly accentuates the drama. A solid contribution. Note; afterword. (Nonfiction/Easy reader. 5-10)