'Ah, the Church of England has been a source of incalculable mischief to
these realms,' said another.

The person who uttered these words sat rather aloof from the rest; he was
dressed in a long black surtout. I could not see much of his face,
partly owing to his keeping it very much directed to the ground, and
partly owing to a large slouched hat which he wore; I observed, however,
that his hair was of a reddish tinge. On the table near him was a glass
and spoon.

'You are quite right,' said the first, alluding to what this last had
said, 'the Church of England has done incalculable mischief here. I
value no religion three halfpence, for I believe in none; but the one
that I hate most is the Church of England; so when I get to New York,
after I have shown the fine fellows on the quay a spice of me, by . . .
the King, I'll toss up my hat again, and . . . the Church of England
too.'

'And suppose the people of New York should clap you in the stocks?' said
I.

These words drew upon me the attention of the whole four. The Radical
and his companion stared at me ferociously; the man in black gave me a
peculiar glance from under his slouched hat; the simple-looking man in
the labouring dress laughed.

'What are you laughing at, you fool?' said the Radical, turning and
looking at the other, who appeared to be afraid of him; 'hold your noise;
and a pretty fellow, you,' said he, looking at me, 'to come here, and
speak against the great American nation.'

'I speak against the great American nation!' said I; 'I rather paid them
a compliment.'

'By supposing they would put me in the stocks. Well, I call it abusing
them, to suppose they would do any such thing--stocks, indeed!--there are
no stocks in all the land. Put me in the stocks! why, the President will
come down to the quay, and ask me to dinner, as soon as he hears what I
have said about the King and Church.'

'I shouldn't wonder,' said I, 'if you go to America you will say of the
President and country what now you say of the King and Church, and cry
out for somebody to send you back to England.'

The Radical dashed his pipe to pieces against the table. 'I tell you
what, young fellow, you are a spy of the aristocracy, sent here to kick
up a disturbance.'

'Kicking up a disturbance,' said I, 'is rather inconsistent with the
office of spy. If I were a spy, I should hold my head down, and say
nothing.'

The man in black partially raised his head, and gav