"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