"Mother! dear mother!" cried Jack, folding her to his breast.
"My son! my dear, dear son!" returned Mrs.Sheppard, returning his embrace with all a parent's tenderness.
Jack was completely overcome.

His chest heaved violently, and big tears coursed rapidly down his cheeks.
"I don't deserve it," he said, at length; "but I would have risked a thousand deaths to enjoy this moment's happiness." "And you must have risked much to obtain it, my love.

I have scarcely recovered from the shock of hearing of your condemnation, when I behold you free!" "Not two hours since," rejoined Jack, "I was chained down in the Condemned Hold in Newgate.

With a small saw, conveyed to me a few days since by Thames Darrell, which I contrived to conceal upon my person, I removed a spike in the hatch, and, with the aid of some other friends, worked my way out.

Having heard from Thames that you were better, and that your sole anxiety was about me, I came to give you the _first_ intelligence of my escape." "Bless you for it.