"I've something big—"
He paused and glanced about the room.
"Go on!"
"There's a plot on foot inside to escape—"
"Of course. They're always plotting to escape—we've no real prison system—no discipline. Hundreds have escaped already. It's nothing new—"
"This is new," the spy went on eagerly, "They let me into their councils last night. There's going to be a big raid on Richmond—the men inside are going to fight their way out, arm themselves and burn the city. When they get the signal from the outside they'll batter down the walls and rush through—"
"Batter down the walls?"
"Yes, sir—"
"How?"