But Jim gave a peculiar wrench to Tom’s arm, and the poor fellow was suffering with a dislocated shoulder. He saw the convict pick up the baby, and throw it into the water, and then grasp the oars and row away. From the depths Tom thought he saw a sweet childish face, and for a moment he hesitated and then cast himself into the water.
In an instant he had the child by the arms and had swung her up onto his back sailor-like and was making for the shore.
The last that Jim saw of the sailor [he was pulling with great strokes for land with the child clinging to his back.]
“Let him go,” muttered the convict, “and may the black devil go with him, but I’m darned glad that the kid didn’t die, although I did my prettiest.”
CHAPTER VII.
When Tom realized that he had the child safely in his arms and was climbing up the rocks upon the East River his heart beat with delight. He felt that his freedom was given him that he might save the little maiden from a death which she did not merit.
He was repeating over to himself the name of the widow, Biddy, whom we have met before.
The woman had given the card to Jim, not knowing that it would fall into the hands of another convict.
She was sitting, just getting ready for bed, and muttering to herself: “It does seem strange that the poor mother has to die in the prison. I suppose, as she ain’t got no friends, there ain’t no use sending her into the world. But that’s a pretty baby.
“She ought to be a queen,” Biddy added as she turned out the light and jumped into bed.