Old master always said,
Jack will never leave me:
He has a noble head,
He will not deceive me.
I will treat him every day
Kindly and clever,
Then he will not run away —
No, master, never!

One night I heard him say,
He was going to Cleveland,
A thought struck me right away,
That this was a free land.
I thought if I too could go,
The dearest ties I'd sever.
And never would come back no more —
Never! no, never!

The next morn at early dawn,
I heard old master knocking:
He says, " Jack, we must be gone —
Put on your shoes and stockings. "
Quickly I bounded out,
And got my clothes together,
And told my wife I'd not come back
No, Lizzie, never!

Soon we were on the way,
Toward the Forest City;
There to leave my wife a slave,
I thought it was a pity.
I heard mistress slightly say,
We'll all keep together,
Or Jack will go to Canada,
No, says master, never!

Jack, says he, be wide awake,
And let nobody tease you;
And don't go too near the lake —
The cold winds will freeze you!
Do you think I would run away,
And leave a man so clever,
And seek a home in Canada?
" No, master, never! "

We stopped at the Weddell House,
The thought then came o'er me,
That now's the time to go across,
As many have gone before me.
I went down to the steamboat wharf
Got on the Jacob Astor,
And cried aloud as she shoved off,
Farewell, old master.

The next day, in Malden town,
Who should I see but master,
He says, Jack, you must go home,
You'll starve and freeze to death sir.
Says I, you are a nice old man;
Very kind and clever;
But think I'll wear my chains again?
" No, master, never! "