How can I add links to my custom javascript image swap?

How can I add links to my custom javascript image swap?

I have a div that I am calling slideshow
<div id="slideshow">
<img src="images/imageslider/Pic1.jpg" style="width:270px;" alt="" />
<img src="images/imageslider/Pic2.jpg" style="width:270px;" alt="" />
<img src="images/imageslider/Pic3.jpg" style="width:270px;" alt="" />
</div>
and here is my javascript:
function slideSwitch() {
var $active = $('#slideshow IMG.active');
if ( $active.length == 0 ) $active = $('#slideshow IMG:last');
// use this to pull the images in the order they appear in the markup
var $next = $active.next().length ? $active.next()
: $('#slideshow IMG:first');
$active.addClass('last-active');
$next.css({opacity: 0.0})
.addClass('active')
.animate({opacity: 1.0}, 1000, function() {
$active.removeClass('active last-active');
});
}
$(function() {
setInterval( "slideSwitch()", 6000 );
});
What is happening is that when I change to The script causes the function
to behave choppy. Instead of fading into the next pic with a link it jumps
and not in a the predefined order.