 I could keep afloat, until I should see a lusty boy of thy
begetting. Odds my timbers! I love thee so well, that I believe thou art the
spawn of my own body; though I can give no account of thy being put upon the
stocks.« Then turning his eye upon Pipes, who by this time had penetrated into
his apartment, and addressed him with the usual salutation of »What cheer?«
»Ahey! (cried he) are you there, you herring-fac'd son of a sea-calf? What a
slippery trick you played your old commander! But, come, you dog, there's my
fist; I forgive you, for the love you bear to my godson. Go man your tackle, and
hoist a cask of strong beer into the yard, knock out the bung, and put a pump in
it, for the use of all my servants and neighbours: and d'ye hear, let the
patereroes be fired, and the garison illuminated, as rejoicings for the safe
arrival of your master. By the Lord! if I had the use of these damn'd shambling
shanks, I would dance an hornpipe with the best of you.«
    The next object of his attention was Mr. Jolter, who was honoured with
particular marks of distinction, and the repeated promise of enjoying the living
in his gift, as an acknowledgment of the care and discretion with which he had
superintended the education and morals of our hero. The governor was so affected
by the generosity of his patron, that the tears ran down his cheeks, while he
expressed his gratitude, and the infinite satisfaction he felt, in contemplating
the accomplishments of his pupil.
    Mean while, Pipes did not neglect the orders he had received: the beer was
produced, the gates were thrown open for the admission of all comers, the whole
house was lighted up, and the patereroes discharged in repeated vollies. Such
phænomena could not fail to attract the notice of the neighbourhood. The club at
Tunley's were astonished at the report of the guns, which produced various
conjectures among the members of that sagacious society. The landlord observed,
that in all likelihood the commodore was visited by hobgoblins, and ordered the
guns to be fired in token of distress, as he had acted twenty years before, when
he was annoyed by the same grievance. The exciseman, with a waggish sneer,
expressed his apprehension of Trunnion's death, in consequence of which, the
patereroes might be discharged with an equivocal intent, either as signals of
his lady's
