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, been advanced in time to no
mean rank in the army of Britain. Nor in that case would we have had to
follow him, as at last we shall, through long, long years of obscure and
penurious wandering.

Continuing in the service of the king's gardeners at Kew, until a
season came when the work of the garden required a less number of
laborers, Israel, with several others, was discharged; and the day
after, engaged himself for a few months to a farmer in the neighborhood
where he had been last employed. But hardly a week had gone by, when the
old story of his being a rebel, or a runaway prisoner, or a Yankee, or a
spy, began to be revived with added malignity. Like bloodhounds, the
soldiers were once more on the track. The houses where he harbored were
many times searched; but thanks to the fidelity of a few earnest
well-wishers, and to his own unsleeping vigilance and activity, the
hunted fox still continued to elude apprehension. To such extremities of