Because, though at first nothing was talked of by his captors, and nothing anticipated by himself, but his ignominious execution, or at the least, prolonged and squalid incarceration, nevertheless, these threats and prospects evaporated, and by his facetious scorn for scorn, under the extremest sufferings, he finally wrung repentant usage from his foes; and in the end, being liberated from his irons, and walking the quarter-deck where before he had been thrust into the hold, was carried back to America, and in due time, at New York, honorably included in a regular exchange of prisoners.
It was not without strange interest that Israel had been an eye-witness of the scenes on the Castle Green.

Neither was this interest abated by the painful necessity of concealing, for the present, from his brave countryman and fellow-mountaineer, the fact of a friend being nigh.

When at last the throng was dismissed, walking towards the town with the rest, he heard that there were some forty or more Americans, privates, confined on the cliff.

Upon this, inventing a pretence, he turned back, loitering around the walls for any chance glimpse of the captives.
Presently, while looking up at a grated embrasure in the tower, he started at a voice from it familiarly hailing him: "Potter, is that you?
In God's name how came you here ?" At these words, a sentry below had his eye on our astonished adventurer.

Bringing his piece to bear, he bade him stand.