enly, walked rapidly away from Israel a moment,
but presently returning with a less hasty pace, said, "You are rumored
to be a spy--a spy, or something of that sort--ain't you? But I know you
are not--no, no. You are a runaway prisoner of war, eh? You have sought
this place to be safe from pursuit, eh? eh? Is it not so?--eh? eh? eh?"

"Sir, it is."

"Well, ye're an honest rebel--rebel, yes, rebel. Hark ye, hark. Say
nothing of this talk to any one. And hark again. So long as you remain
here at Kew, I shall see that you are safe--safe."

"God bless your Majesty!"

"Eh?"

"God bless your noble Majesty?"

"Come--come--come," smiled the king in delight, "I thought I could
conquer ye--conquer ye."

"Not the king, but the king's kindness, your Majesty."

"Join my army--army."

Sadly looking down, Israel silently shook his head.

"You won't? Well, gravel the walk then--gravel away. Very stubborn
race--very stubborn race, indeed--very--very--very."

And still growling, the magnanimous lion departed. How the monarch came
by his knowledge of so humble an exile, whether through that swift
insight into individual character said to form one of the miraculous
qualities transmitted with a crown, or whether some of the rumors
prevailing outside of the garden had come to his ear, Israel could never
determine. Very probably, though, the latter was the case, inasmuch as
some vague shadowy report of Israel not being an Englishman, had, a
little previous to his interview with the king, been communicated to
several of the inferior gardeners. Without any impeachment of Israel's
fealty to his country, it must still be narrated, that from this his
familiar audience with George the Third, he went away with very
favorable views of that monarch. Israel now thought that it could not be
the warm heart of the king, but the cold heads of his lords in council,
that persuaded him so tyrannically to persecute America. Yet hitherto
the precise contrary of this had been Israel's opinion, agreeably to the
popular prejudice throughout New England.

Thus we see what strange and powerful magic resides in a crown, and how
subtly that cheap and easy magnanimity, which in private belongs to most
kings, may operate on good-natured and unfortunate souls. Indeed, had it
not been for the peculiar disinterested fidelity of our adventurer's
patriotism, he would have soon sported the red coat; and perhaps under
the immediate patronage of his royal friend,