ir　bodies　when　they　were　alive．And　worse　than　that，the　adults　never　left　me　in　peace．
  ‘Before　we　eat，let　us　thank　God　for　the　food　in　front　of　us，’said　Mr　Wopsle，in　the　deep　voice　he　used　in　church．
  ‘Do　you　hear　that？’whispered　my　sister　to　me．‘Be　grateful！’
  ‘Especially，’said　Mr　Pumblechook　firmly，‘be　grateful，boy，to　those　who　brought　you　up　by　hand．’
  ‘Why　are　the　young　never　grateful？’wondered　Mr　Wopsle　sadly．
  ‘Their　characters　are　naturally　bad，’answered　Mr　Pumblechook，and　all　three　looked　unpleasantly　at　me．
  When　there　were　guests，Joe's　position　was　even　lower　than　usual（if　that　was　possible），but　he　always　tried　to　help　me　if　he　could．Sometimes　he　comforted　me　by　giving　me　extra　gravy．He　did　that　now．
  ‘Just　imagine，boy，’said　Mr　Pumblechook，‘if　your　sister　hadn't　brought　you　up—’
  ‘You　listen　to　this，’said　my　sister　to　me　crossly．
  ‘If，as　I　say，she　hadn't　spent　her　life　looking　after　you，where　would　you　be　now？’
  Joe　offered　me　more　gravy．
  ‘He　was　a　lot　of　trouble　to　you，madam，’Mr　Wopsle　said　sympathetically　to　my　sister．
  ‘Trouble？’she　cried．‘Trouble？’And　then　she　started　on　a　list　of　all　my　illnesses，accidents　and　crimes，while　everybody　except　Joe　looked　at　me　with　disgust．Joe　added　more　gravy　to　the　meat　swimming　on　my　plate，and　I　wanted　to　pull　Mr　Wopsle's　nose．
  In　the　end　Mrs　Joe　stopped　for　breath，and　said　to　Mr　Pumblechook，‘Have　a　little　brandy，uncle．There　is　a　bottle　al…ready　open．’
  It　had　happened　at　last！Now　she　would　discover　I　had　stolen　some　brandy，and　put　water　in　the　bottle．Mr　Pumblechook　held　his　glass　up　to　the　light，smiled　importantly　at　it　and　drank　it．When，immediately　afterwards，he　jumped　up　and　began　to　rush　round　the　room　in　a　strange　wild　dance，we　all　stared　at　him　in　great　surprise．Was　he　mad？I　wondered　if　I　had　murdered　him，but　if　so，how？At　last　he　threw　himself　gasping　into　a　chair，crying　‘Medicine！’Then　I　understood．Instead　of　filling　up　the　brandy　bottle　with　water，I　had　put　Mrs　Joe's　strongest　and　most　unpleasant　medicine　in　by　mistake．That　was　what　the　big　brown　bottle　contained．
  ‘But　how　could　my　medicine　get　into　a　brandy　bottle？’asked　my　sister．Fortunately　she　had　no　time　to　find　the　answer，as　Mr　Pumblechook　was　calling　for　a　hot　rum　to　remove　the　taste　of　the　medicine．‘And　now，’she　said，when　the　fat　man　was　calmer，‘you　must　all　try　Uncle　Pumblechook's　pre…sent　to　us！A　really　delicious　meat　pie！’
  ‘That's　right，Mrs　Joe！’said　Mr　Pumblechook，looking　more　cheerful　now．‘　Bring　in　the　pie！’
  ‘You　shall　have　some，Pip，’said　Joe　kindly．
  I　knew　what　would　happen　next．I　could　not　sit　there　any　longer．I　jumped　down　from　the　table，and　ran　out　of　the　room．
  But　at　the　front　door　I　ran　straight　into　a　group　of　soldiers．Mrs　Joe　was　saying　as　she　came　out　of　the　kitchen，‘The　pie…has…gone！’but　stopped　when　she　saw　the　soldiers．
  ‘Excuse　me，ladies　and　gentlemen，’said　the　officer　in　charge．‘I'm　here　in　the　King's　name，and　I　want　the　black…smith．’
  ‘And　why　do　you　want　him？’said　my　sister　crossly．
  ‘Madam，’replied　the　officer　Politely，‘speaking　for　myself，I'd　like　the　pleasure　of　meeting　his　fine　wife．Speaking　for　the　King，I'd　like　him　to　repair　these　handcuffs．’
  ‘Ah，very　good，very　good！’　said　Mr　Pumblechook，clap…ping．
  The　soldiers　waited　in　the　kitchen　while　Joe　lit　the　forge　fire　and　started　work．I　began　to　feel　better　now　that　everyone　had　forgotten　the　missing　pie．
  ‘How　far　are　we　from　the　marshes？’asked　the　officer．
  ‘About　a　mile，’replied　Mrs　Joe．
  ‘　That's　good．We'll　catch　them　before　it's　dark．’
  ‘　Convicts，officer？’asked　Mr　Wopsle．
  ‘Yes，two　escaped　convicts　out　on　the　marshes．Has　anyone　here　seen　them？’
  The　others　all　shook　their　heads．Nobody　asked　me．When　the　handcuffs　were　ready，Joe　suggested　we　should　go　with　the　soldiers，and　as　Mrs　Joe　was　curious　to　know　what　happened，she　agreed．So　Joe，Mr　wopsle　and　I　walked　behind　the　men　through　the　village　and　out　on　to　the　marshes．
  ‘　I　hope　we　don't　find　those　poor　men，Joe，’I　whispered．
  ‘　I　hope　not　either，Pip，’he　whispered　back．It　was　cold，with　an　east　wind　blowing　from　the　sea，and　it　was　getting　dark．
  Suddenly　we　all　stopped．We　heard　shouts　in　the　distance．
  ‘This　way！Run！’the　officer　ordered，and　we　all　rushed　in　that　direction．The　shouts　became　clearer．‘　Murder！’‘Escaped　convict！’‘Help！’At　last　we　discovered　two　men　fighting　each　other．One　was　my　convict，and　the　other　was　the　man　who　had　run　away　when　I　had　seen　him　near　the　shelter．Somehow　the　soldiers　held　the　men　apart　and　put　the　hand…cuffs　on　them．
  ‘Here　he　is，I'm　holding　him　for　you！’shouted　my　convict．
  ‘Officer，he　tried　to　murder　me！’cried　the　other　man．His　face　was　bleeding　and　he　was　clearly　very　frightened．
  ‘　Murder　him！No，’said　the　first，‘　that　would　be　too　easy．I　want　him　to　suffer　more，back　on　the　prison…ship．He's　lying，as　he　did　at　our　trial！You　can't　trust　Compeyson！’
  Just　then　he　noticed　me　for　the　first　time．I　shook　my　head　at　him，to　show　that　I　had　not　wanted　the　soldiers　to　find　him．He　stared　at　me，but　I　did　not　know　if　he　understood　or　not．
  The　prisoners　were　taken　to　the　riverside，where　a　boat　was　waiting　to　take　them　on　to　the　prison…ship．Just　as　he　was　about　to　leave，my　convict　said，‘Officer，after　my　escape，I　stole　some　food，from　the　blacksmith's　house．Bread，cheese，brandy　and　a　meat　pie．I'm　sorry　I　ate　your　pie，blacksmith．’
  ‘I'm　glad　you　did，’replied　Joe　kindly．‘　We　don't　know　why　you're　a　convict，but　we　wouldn't　want　you　to　die　of　hunger．’
  The　man　rubbed　his　eyes　with　the　back　of　his　dirty　hand．We　watched　the　small　boat　carry　him　out　to　the　middle　of　the　river，where　the　great　black　prison…ship　stood　high　out　of　the　water，held　by　its　rusty　chains．He　disappeared　into　the　ship，and　I　thought　that　was　the　last　I　had　seen　of　him．
  3　　An　opportunity　for　Pip
  I　always　knew　I　would　be　apprenticed　to　Joe　as　soon　as　I　was　old　enough，and　so　I　used　to　spend　most　of　the　day　helping　him　in　the　forge．However，I　also　attended　the　village　evening　school，which　was　organized　by　an　ancient　relation　of　Mr　Wopsle's．Her　teaching　mostly　consisted　of　falling　asleep　while　we　children　fought　each　other，but　Mr　Wopsle's　young　cousin，Biddy，tried　to　keep　us　under　control　and　teach　us　to　read，write　and　count．Mr　Wopsle‘examined’us　every　three　months．In　fact　he　did　not　ask　us　any　questions　at　all，but　read　aloud　from　Shakespeare，waving　his　arms　dramatically　and　enjoying　the　sound　of　his　own　voice．
  One　night，about　a　year　after　the　escaped　convicts　had　been　caught，I　was　sitting　by　the　kitchen　fire，writing　a　letter　to　Joe．I　didn't　need　to，because　he　was　sitting　right　next　to　me，but　I　wanted　to　practise　my　writing．After　an　hour　or　two　of　hard　work，I　passed　this　letter　to　him．
  ‘Pip，old　boy！’cried　Joe，opening　his　kind　blue　eyes　very　wide．‘What　a　lot　you've　learnt！Here's　a　J　and　an　O，that's　for　Joe，isn't　it，Pip？’
  I　wondered　whether　I　would　have　to　teach　Joe　from　the　beginning，so　I　asked，‘How　do　you　write　Gargery，Joe？’
  ‘I　don't　write　it　at　all，’said　Joe．‘But，you　know，I　am　fond　of　reading．Give　me　a　good　book　or　newspaper，a　good　fire　and　I　ask　no　more．Well！When　you　come　to　a　J　and　an　O，how　interesting　reading　is！’
  ‘　Didn't　you　ever　go　to　school，Joe，when　you　were　young？’
  ‘No，Pip．You　see，my　father　drank　a　lot，and　when　he　drank，he　used　to　hit　my　mother，and　me　too，sometimes．So　she　and　I　ran　away　from　him　several　times．And　she　used　to　say，“Now，Joe，you　can　go　to　school．”But　my　father　had　such　a　good　heart　that　he　didn't　want　to　be　without　us．So　he　always　came　to　find　us，and　took　us　home，and　hit　us．So　you　see，Pip，I　never　learnt　much．’
  ‘Poor　Joe！’
  ‘But　remember，Pip，my　father　had　a　good　heart．’
  I　wondered　about　that，but　said　nothing．
  ‘He　let　me　become　a　blacksmith，which　was　his　job　too，only　he　never　worked　at　it．I　earned　the　money　for　the　family，until　he　died．And　listen　to　this，Pip，I　wanted　to　put　this　on　his　gravestone：
  Whatever　the　fault　he　had　from　the　start，
  Remember，reader，he　had　a　good　heart．’
  ‘　Did　you　invent　that　yourself，Joe？’I　asked，surprised　。
  ‘I　did，’said　Joe　proudly．‘It　came　to　me　in　a　moment．From　my　own　head．But，Pip，sad　to　say，there　wasn't　enough　money　for　the　gravestone．My　poor　mother　needed　it．In　bad　health，she　was．She　died　soon　after．Found　peace　at　last．’Joe's　blue　eyes　were　watery．‘I　was　lonely　then，and　I　met　your　sister．Now，Pip，’Joe　looked　firmly　at　me，because　he　knew　I　was　not　going　to　agree　with　him，‘your　sister　is　a　fine　woman！’
  I　could　think　of　nothing　better　to　say　than‘I'm　glad　you　think　so，Joe．’
  ‘　So　am　I，’said　Joe．‘I'm　glad　I　think　so．Very　kind　of　her，bringing　you　up　by　hand．Such　a　tiny　baby　you　were！So　when　I　offered　to　marry　your　sister，I　said，“And　bring　the　poor　little　child　to　live　with　us．There's　room　for　him　at　the　forge！”’
  I　put　my　arms　round　Joe's　neck　and　cried　into　his　shi