They thought that I might yet get to Canada, and be free, and suggested a plan by which I might accomplish it; and one way was, to learn to read and write, so that I might write myself a pass ticket, to go just where I pleased, when I was taken out of the prison; and they taught me secretly all they could while in the prison.
But there was another plan which they suggested to me to get away from slavery; that was to break out of the prison and leave my family.

I consented to engage in this plot, but not to leave my family.
By my conduct in the prison, after having been there several weeks, I had gained the confidence of the keeper, and the turnkey.

So much so, that when I wanted water or anything of the kind, they would open my door and hand it in to me.

One of the turnkeys was an old colored man, who swept and cleaned up the cells, supplied the prisoners with water, &c.
On Sundays in the afternoon, the watchmen of the prison were most generally off, and this old slave, whose name was Stephen, had the prisoners to attend to.

The white prisoners formed a plot to break out on Sunday in the afternoon, by making me the agent to get the prison keys from old Stephen.
I was to prepare a stone that would weigh about one pound, tie it up in a rag, and keep it in my pocket to strike poor old Stephen with, when he should open my cell door.