of a cat-o'-nine-tails,
in expectation of being relieved by the interposition of the lieutenant,
who did not, however, appear. Tom, returning with the instrument of
correction, undressed the delinquent in a trice, and whispering in his
ear, that he was very sorry for being employed in such an office, but
durst not for his soul disobey the orders of his commander, flourished
the scourge about his head, and with admirable dexterity made such a
smarting application to the offender's back and shoulders, that the
distracted gauger performed sundry new cuts with his feet, and bellowed
hideously with pain, to the infinite satisfaction of the spectators. At
length, when he was almost flayed from his rump to the nape of his neck,
Hatchway, who had purposely absented himself hitherto, appeared in the
yard, and interposing in his behalf, prevailed upon Trunnion to call off
the executioner, and ordered the malefactor to be released.

The exciseman, mad with the catastrophe he had undergone, threatened
to be revenged upon his employers, by making a candid confession of
the whole plot; but the lieutenant giving him to understand, that in so
doing, he would bring upon himself a prosecution for fraud, forgery, and
imposture, he was fain to put up with his loss; and sneaked out of the
garrison, attended with a volley of curses discharged upon him by
the commodore, who was exceedingly irritated by the disturbance and
disappointment he had undergone.

CHAPTER XV.

The Commodore detects the Machinations of the Conspirators, and hires a
tutor for Peregrine, whom he settles in Winchester School.

This was not the least affliction he had suffered from the unwearied
endeavours and unexhausted invention of his tormentors, who harassed him
with such a variety of mischievous pranks, that he began to think all
the devils in hell had conspired against his peace; and accordingly
became very serious and contemplative on the subject.

In the course of his meditations, when he recollected and compared
the circumstances of every mortification to which he had been lately
exposed, he could not help suspecting that some of them must have been
contrived to vex him; and, as he was not ignorant of his lieutenant's
disposition, nor unacquainted with the talents of Peregrine, he
resolved to observe them both for the future with the utmost care and
circumspection. This resolution, aided by the incautious conduct of
the conspirators, whom, by this