he saying
is, Better late mend than never: and I am informed as how one can get
more for the money here than anywhere else."

In vain did Trunnion endeavour to convince him of the folly of going to
school at his years, by representing that the boys would make game of
him, and that he would become a laughing-stock to all the world: he
persisted in his resolution to stay, and the commodore was fain to
have recourse to the mediation of Pipes and Perry, who employed their
influence with Jack, and at last prevailed upon him to return to the
garrison, after Trunnion had promised he should be at liberty to visit
them once a month. This stipulation being settled, he and his friend
took leave of the pupil, governor, and attendant, and next morning, set
out for their habitation, which they reached in safety that same night.

Such was Hatchway's reluctance to leave Peregrine, that he is said, for
the first time in his life, to have looked misty at parting: certain I
am, that on the road homewards, after a long pause of silence, which the
commodore never dreamt of interrupting, he exclaimed all of a sudden,
"I'll be d--d if the dog ha'nt given me some stuff to make me love him!"
Indeed, there was something congenial in the disposition of these two
friends, which never failed to manifest itself in the sequel, howsoever
different their education, circumstances, and connections happened to
be.

CHAPTER XVI.

Peregrine distinguishes himself among his School-fellows, exposes his
Tutor, and attracts the particular Notice of the Master.

Thus left to the prosecution of his studies, Peregrine was in a
little time a distinguished character, not only for his acuteness of
apprehension, but also for that mischievous fertility of fancy, of which
we have already given such pregnant examples. But as there was a great
number of such luminaries in this new sphere to which he belonged, his
talents were not so conspicuous while they shone in his single capacity,
as they afterwards appeared, when they concentrated and reflected the
rays of the whole constellation.

At first he confined himself to piddling game, exercising his genius
upon his own tutor, who attracted his attention, by endeavouring to
season his mind with certain political maxims, the fallacy of which he
had discernment enough to perceive. Scarce a day passed in which he did
not find means to render Mr. Jolter the object of ridicule: his violent
prejudices, ludicrous va