the honour of breakfasting with the ladies

The lieutenant, who began to be uneasy at Peregrine’s stay, knocked at the door, and, being introduced by his friend, had the honour of breakfasting with the ladies; on which occasion his heart received such a rude shock from the charms of Emilia, that he afterwards made a merit with his friend of having constrained himself so far, as to forbear commencing his professed rival.
At length they bade adieu to their kind entertainers; and in less than an hour setting out from the inn, arrived about two o’clock in Winchester, where Mr. Jolter was overwhelmed with joy at their appearance.
The nature of this adventure being unknown to all except those who could be depended upon, everybody who inquired about the cause of Peregrine’s absence, was told that he had been with a relation in the country, and the master condescended to overlook his indiscretion; so that Hatchway, seeing everything settled to the satisfaction of his friend, returned to the garrison, and gave the commodore an account of his expedition.
The old gentleman was very much startled when he heard there was a lady in the case, and very emphatically observed, that a man had better be sucked into the gulf of Florida than once get into the indraught of a woman; because, in one case, he may with good pilotage bring out his vessel safe between the Bahamas and the Indian shore; but in the other there is no outlet at all, and it is in vain to strive against the current; so that of course he must be embayed, and run chuck upon a lee-shore. He resolved, therefore, to lay the state of the case before Gamaliel Pickle, and concert such measures with him as should be thought likeliest to detach his son from the pursuit of an idle amour, which could not fail of interfering in a dangerous manner with the plan of his education.
In the mean time, Perry’s ideas were totally engrossed by his amiable mistress, who, whether he slept or waked, was still present in his imagination, which produced the following stanzas in her praise:— Adieu! ye streams that smoothly flow; Ye vernal airs that softly blow; Ye plains, by blooming spring arrayed; Ye birds that warble through the shade. Unhurt from you my soul could fly,
Nor drop one tear, nor heave one sigh; But forced from Celia’s charms to part,
All joy deserts my drooping heart. O’ fairer than the rosy morn, When flowers the dewy fields adorn; Unsallied as the genial ray, That warms the balmy breeze of May; Thy charms divinely bright appear, And add new splendour to the year; Improve the day with fresh delight, And gild with joy the dreary night.
This juvenile production was enclosed in a very tender billet to Emilia, and committed to the charge of Pipes, who was ordered to set out for Mrs. Gauntlet’s habitation with a present of venison, and a compliment to the ladies; and directed to take some opportunity of delivering the letter to miss, without the knowledge of her mamma.