TH

no doubt, a very great fatiffaction in the pleasures he was enjoying, the continual dunning of his creditors, for by this time his extravagance had plunged him over head and ears in debt, made him, at last, as much defirous as his master could poffibly be, of quitting his fervice, a refolution, in which he

was

was not a little encouraged by the hope he entertained of a favourable reception from the juftice, not in the least fufpecting, that he had been at all acquainted with the line of conduct he had obferved.

He accordingly wrote to Mr. Juftice Gilpin, for the purpose of informing him, that he could no longer remain with his mafter, and was, therefore, under a neceffity of wishing that he might have his permiffion of returning home.-In a few days, a letter in anfwer was written young Gilpin, but his fellow apprentices, who were continually diverting themselves at his expence, intercepted

intercepted the fame, which in moft direct and peremptory terms, pofitively forbade his coming to his houfe,or quitting his mafter's fervice, adding at the fame time, that his behaviour had been fo very bad, that he should stop his allowance, and cut him off, at his death, with a single fhilling, as a mark of his displeasure and refentment.

The letter alfo added, that even had he still continued in his good graces, it would have been very inconvenient to him to have received him, as there was not then a spare bed in the houf, and as to the

young lady he had enquired after,

fhe

The begged he would think no more of her, as she was then at the point of marriage with a gentleman, a lieutenant colonel in the Suffex militia.

Gilpin's fellow apprentices having got this letter, brought by the post from the justice at Brighthelmftone, to which place he had retired, they determined to suppress it, and deliver young Gilpin a counterfeit letter in its ftead, in which the juftice fhould be made to give him a favourable anfwer. They accordingly tore the letter the juftice had fent, and wrote another in its room, in which the juftice was made to

tell

tell him, that he entirely approved of his quitting his mafter's fervice, and expected to fee him at Brighthelmstone as foon as poffible; that he had caused an apartment to be fitted up for him; and that the young lady, a Mifs Forbes, he asked after, defired to be remembered to him with every poffible mark of love and respect. The letter concluded with defiring that he would lofe no time, but let him fee him the very first opportunity.

The hand-writing of the juftice, and the poft-mark were fo well counterfeited, that young Gilpin faw no reason to think any impo

fition