n a jail, with
the sole view of keeping a strict eye over his conduct. This report,
however, did not reach the ears of our hero till the next day, when he
sent one of the runners of the Fleet, who attended him, to bespeak and
pay for a couple of pullets, and something else for dinner, to which
he had already invited his friend Hatchway, in hope of being able to
persuade him to retire into the country, after he had undergone a
whole day's mortification in the place. The messenger returned with
an assurance, that the dinner should be made ready according to his
directions, and restored the money, observing, that his kinsman had paid
for what was bespoke.

Peregrine was equally surprised and disgusted at this information, and
resolved to chide the lieutenant severely for his unseasonable treat,
which he considered as a thing repugnant to his reputation. Meanwhile,
he despatched his attendant for wine to the coffee-house, and finding
his credit bolstered up in that place by the same means, was enraged at
the presumption of Jack's friendship. He questioned the valet about
it with such manifestation of displeasure, that the fellow, afraid of
disobliging such a good master, frankly communicated the story which was
circulated at his expense. The young gentleman was so much incensed at
this piece of intelligence, that he wrote a bitter expostulation to the
lieutenant, where he not only retracted his invitation, but declared
that he would never converse with him while he should remain within the
place.

Having thus obeyed the dictates of his anger, he gave notice to the
cook, that he should not have occasion for what was ordered. Repairing
to the coffee-house, he told the landlord, that whereas he understood
the stranger with the wooden leg had prepossessed him and others with
ridiculous notions, tending to bring the sanity of his intellects in
question, and, to confirm this imputation, had, under the pretence of
consanguinity, undertaken to defray his expenses; he could not help, in
justice to himself, declaring, that the same person was, in reality,
the madman, who had given his keepers the slip; that, therefore, he, the
landlord, would not find his account in complying with his orders, and
encouraging him to frequent his house; and that, for his own part, he
would never enter the door, or favour him with the least trifle of his
custom, if ever he should for the future find himself anticipated in his
payments by that unhappy