ntagonist, became acquainted with every circumstance of the
ambuscade.

Tunley had scarce got the better of his agitation, when his wife,
entering the room, told them, by way of news, that some waggish body
had sent Mr. Sackbut the curate to pray with her. This name inflamed
the husband's choler anew; and, forgetting all his complaisance for his
spouse, he replied with a rancorous grin, "Add rabbit him! I doubt not
but you found his admonitions deadly comfortable!" The landlady, looking
at her vassal with a sovereign aspect, "What crotchets," said she, "have
you got in your fool's head, I trow? I know no business you have to sit
here like a gentleman with your arms akimbo, there's another company
in the house to be served." The submissive husband took the hint, and
without further expostulation sneaked out of the room.

Next day it was reported that Mr. Sackbut had been waylaid and
almost murdered by robbers, and an advertisement was pasted upon the
church-door, offering a reward to any person that should discover the
assassin; but he reaped no satisfaction from this expedient, and
was confined to his chamber a whole fortnight, by the bruises he had
received.

CHAPTER XXX.

Mr. Sackbut and his Pupil conspire against Peregrine, who,
being apprised of their Design by his Sister, takes measures for
counterworking their Scheme, which is executed by mistake upon Mr.
Gauntlet--this young Soldier meets with a cordial reception from the
Commodore, who generously decoys him into his own interest.

When he considered the circumstances of the ambuscade, he could not
persuade himself that he had been assaulted by a common thief, because
it was not to be supposed that a robber would have amused himself in
pummeling rather than in rifling his prey; he therefore ascribed his
misfortune to the secret enmity of some person who had a design upon his
life; and, upon mature deliberation, fixed his suspicion upon Peregrine,
who was the only man on earth from whom he thought he deserved such
treatment. He communicated his conjecture to his pupil, who readily
adopted his opinion, and advised him strenuously to revenge the wrong by
a like contrivance, without seeking to make a narrower inquiry, lest his
enemy should be thereby put upon his guard.

This proposal being relished, they in concert revolved the means of
retorting the ambush with interest, and actually laid such a villainous
plan for attacking our hero in the dark, t