Chapter 3

           AllthatdayIlayinthedungeoncudgellingmybrainsforthereasonofthisnewandinexplicablepunishment.AllIcouldconcludewasthatsomestoolhadliedaninfractionoftherulesonmeinordertocurryfavourwiththeguards.

           MeanwhileCaptainJamiefrettedhisheadoffandpreparedforthenight,whileWinwoodpassedthewordalongtothefortyliferstobereadyforthebreak.Andtwohoursaftermidnighteveryguardintheprisonwasunderorders.Thisincludedtheday-shiftwhichshouldhavebeenasleep.Whentwoo’clockcame,theyrushedthecellsoccupiedbytheforty.Therushwassimultaneous.Thecellswereopenedatthesamemoment,andwithoutexceptionthemennamedbyWinwoodwerefoundoutoftheirbunks,fullydressed,andcrouchingjustinsidetheirdoors.Ofcourse,thiswasverificationabsoluteofallthefabricofliesthatthepoet-forgerhadspunforCaptainJamie.Thefortyliferswerecaughtinred-handedreadinessforthebreak.Whatiftheydidunite,afterward,inaverringthatthebreakhadbeenplannedbyWinwood?ThePrisonBoardofDirectorsbelieved,toaman,thatthefortyliedinanefforttosavethemselves.TheBoardofPardonslikewisebelieved,for,erethreemonthswereup,CecilWinwood,forgerandpoet,mostdespicableofmen,waspardonedout.

           Oh,well,thestir,orthepen,astheycallitinconvictargot,isatrainingschoolforphilosophy.