first
opportunity the spade was transferred to the air chamber, and put to
work in digging the tunnel. This is the manner in which that valuable,
that priceless, old, rusty, broken spade was gotten: One man was
selected to secrete the spade about his person--him I will call No. 1.
He wore, for the occasion, a long, loose sack coat. Six or seven other
men were his accomplices. It was a usual occurrence for those who were
awaiting their turns at the washing troughs, to romp and scuffle with
each other in the yard. The conspirators were, this morning, exceedingly
frolicsome. At length No. 1 fell, apparently by an accident, upon the
spade, his accomplices tumbled in a heap upon him. No. 1 dexterously
slipped the spade under his coat, and buttoned it up. He went into
breakfast with it, and sat wonderfully straight, and carried it safely
into the hall and down into the air chamber.

When the main wall of the hall was reached, the heavy stones of its
foundation were removed in sufficient number to admit of the passage of
a man. But it was then discovered that the tunnel led right under an
immense coal pile. It was necessary that this difficulty should be
remedied; but how? Without a view of the ground just outside of the
wall, no one could calculate how far, or in what direction to run the
tunnel, so that when it was conducted to the surface, all obstructions
might be avoided. In this emergency, General Morgan engaged Scott in
conversation about the remarkable escape of some convicts, which had
occurred a year or two previously, and which Scott was very fond of
describing. These convicts had climbed by the balconies, in front of the
ranges of cells, to the ceiling, and had passed out through the
skylight to the roof of the prison. Scott declared his belief that there
were no two other men on the continent who could perform the feat of
ascending by the balconies.

"Why," says General Morgan, "Captain Sam. Taylor, small as he is, can do
it."

Thereupon a discussion ensued, ending by Scott's giving Taylor
permission to attempt it. Taylor, who, although very small, was as
active as a squirrel, immediately commenced the ascent, and sprang from
one to the other of the balconies, until he reached the top one. He was
one of the men who had been selected to escape with General Morgan, and
comprehended immediately the latter's object in having him attempt this
feat. It would afford him a chance to glance out of the windows at the
gr