Joel and the miller,
if not downright conspirators, had hopes, calculations, and even
projects of their own, that never would have originated with men of the
same class, in another state of society; or, it might almost be said,
in another part of the world. The sagacity of the overseer had long
enabled him to foresee that the issue of the present troubles would be
insurrection; and a sort of instinct which some men possess for the
strongest side, had pointed out to him the importance of being a
patriot. The captain, he little doubted, would take part with the
crown, and then no one knew what might be the consequences. It is not
probable that Joel's instinct for the strongest side predicted the
precise confiscations that subsequently ensued, some of which had all
the grasping lawlessness of a gross abuse of power; but he could easily
foresee that if the owner of the estate should be driven off, the
property and its proceeds, probably for a series of years, would be
very apt to fall under his own control and management. Many a patriot
has been made by anticipations less brilliant than these; and as Joel
and the miller talked the matter over between them, they had calculated
all the possible emolument of fattening beeves, and packing pork for
hostile armies, or isolated frontier posts, with a strong gusto for the
occupation. Should open war but fairly commence, and could the captain
only be induced to abandon the Knoll, and take refuge within a British
camp, everything might be made to go smoothly, until settling day
should follow a peace.
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