
would permit him to stay in that place.
    The two sailors were no sooner gone, than he took up the pen, and wrote the
following letter, in which he inclosed the bank-note, to his generous
benefactress:
 
        Madam,
            Your humanity is not more ingenious than my suspicion. In vain you
        attempt to impose upon me by an act of generosity, which no person upon
        earth, but your ladyship, is capable of committing. Tho' your name was
        not subscribed on the paper, your sentiments were fully displayed in the
        contents, which I must beg leave to restore, with the same sense of
        gratitude, and for the same reasons I expressed, when last I had the
        honour to converse with you upon this subject. Tho' I am deprived of my
        liberty, by the villainy and ingratitude of mankind, I am not yet
        destitute of the other conveniences of life; and, therefore, beg to be
        excused from incurring an unnecessary addition to that load of
        obligation you have alread y laid upon,
Madam,
Your ladyship's most devoted,
Humble servant,
                                                                PEREGRINE PICKLE
 
Having dressed himself, and repaired to the place of appointment, he dispatched
this epistle by the hands of Pipes, who was ordered to leave it at her
ladyship's house, without staying for an answer; and in the mean time gave
directions for dinner, which he and his friend Hatchway ate very chearfully in
his own apartment, after he had entertained him with a sight of all the
curiosities in the place. During their repast, Jack repeated his kind offers to
our adventurer, who declined them with his former obstinacy, and begged he might
be no more importuned on that subject: but, if he insisted upon giving some
fresh proofs of his friendship, he might have an opportunity of exhibiting it in
taking Pipes under his care and protection; for nothing affected him so much as
his inability to provide for such a faithful adherent.
    The lieutenant desired he would give himself no trouble upon that score; he
being, of his own accord, perfectly well disposed to befriend his old ship-mate,
who should never want, while he had a shilling to spare. But he began to drop
some hints of an intention to fix his quarters in the Fleet, observing, that the
air seemed to be very good in that place, and that he was tired of living in the
country. What he said did not amount to a plain declaration, and therefore
Peregrine did not answer it as such, tho' he perceived his drift; and took an
opportunity of describing the inconveniences of the place,
