“One day it was running across the court to its mother as she came out from the prison.  Two of the men were what you call skylarking, and running one way while the child was running the other.  One of them knocked it down heavily.  It was an accident, and if he had picked it up and been sorry, there would have been an end of it; but instead of that the brute burst into a loud laugh.  By this time I was as fond of the child as if it had been my own, and I rushed furiously at him and knocked him down.  As he sprang to his feet he drew a knife he used in wood-carving and came at me.  I caught the blow on my arm and closed with him, and we fell together.  The guard in the yard rushed up and pulled us apart, and we both got a fortnight’s close confinement for fighting.

“The first time I came into the yard again and met the woman with her child, the little one ran to me; but the woman, a little to my surprise, said nothing.  As she passed I lifted the child up, and after giving me a hug and a kiss she said:  ’Mammy gave me this to give to you;’ and she put a little note into my hand.  I took the first opportunity to read it in a quiet corner.  It was as follows:  ’Dear Jacques—­I saw how nobly you stood up for my Carrie the other day, and how you got wounded in protecting her.  You have always been good to her.  I have often thought I might help you to escape, but was afraid to try.  Now I will do so.  It will not be easy, but I will manage it.  Do not be impatient; the child will give you another note when I have quite arranged things.  I shall not talk much to you in future, or else when you have got away I may be suspected; so do not be surprised at my seeming cold.’

“After that the woman only brought her child once a week or so to the prison, and only gave me a nod as she passed through the yard.  Upon the third visit of the child it gave me a little packet containing two or three small steel saws and a little bottle of oil.  On the paper which held them was written, ’For the bars.  You shall have a rope next time.’  Sure enough next time the child had hidden in its frock a hank of very thin cord, which I managed as I was playing with her to slip unobserved into my breast.  ‘Mammy says more next time.’  And next time another hank came.  There was a third, and a note, ’Twist the three ropes together and they will be strong enough to bear you.  On the third night from this, saw through the bars and lower yourself into court.  There will be no moon.  Go to the right-hand corner of the court in the rear of the prison.  Fasten a knife to one end of the cord and throw it over the wall.  I shall be waiting there with a friend.  Directly you feel the cord jerked climb up to the top of the wall.  If you can find something to fasten your end of the rope to you can slide down it.  If not, you must jump.  There will be a boat ready to take you away.’