Chapter 2 A Christmas Adventure Everyone came running.
They were amazed to see soldiers standing there.
The sergeant said, Pardon me for interrupting your Christmas dinner.
Who's Mr. Gargery?
We've had an accident with the lock on these handcuffs.
We need them fixed right away.
Joe stepped forward and said, I'll need the forge for that job.
It'll be two hours before it's hot enough.
You start it up at once.
My men will lend a hand.
Joe agreed and opened his shop.
The sergeant called in the soldiers.
They stood around with their arms folded behind them and waited for orders.
Once I realized the cuffs weren't for me, my heart stopped racing.
What time is it? the sergeant asked.
Uncle replied that it was half past two.
That's not so bad, he said.
We'll still be able to catch the convicts before dusk.
Convicts, Sergeant?
Mr. Wopsle asked.
Yes, two.
We think they're still out on the marshes and won't try to get away until it's dark.
With this fog, the fools won't know we're there until they're surrounded.
The whole group stood by the fort as Joe started hammering away.
To pass the time, the sergeant told stories, and everyone except me seemed to enjoy themselves.
At last, Joe's job was done.
As the soldiers were leaving, the sergeant suggested we go with them, even Pip.
As long as he doesn't get caught up in any mischief, my sister replied.
Uncle Pumblechook and the Hubbles said they'd prefer to stay behind, so it was just Joe, Mr Wopsle and me.
And the soldiers, of course.
As we walked toward the marshes, I thought about my convict.
What would he think if he saw me with a group of the king's soldiers?
Would he think I'd told them where he was?
Would he hurt me as he threatened?
The fog had cleared a little so we could see well despite the rain.
The sergeant ordered the soldiers to spread out in a long line.
They walked like that until we heard shouting in the distance.
The sound came from over there, the sergeant shouted.
That direction, men.
The soldiers fell out of line and ran toward the old shipyard.
Joe, Mr. Wopsle, and I raced up and down the banks and through the bushes to keep up.
A soldier yelled.
Convicts!
They're over there!
They rushed ahead.
We could make out the sounds of a struggle as we approached the escaped men.
The sergeant pointed his gun at two men fighting at the bottom of a large ditch.
He shouted, Break it up!
Right now!
When they didn't separate, he fired a shot into the air.
Surrender!
Straight away! he yelled.
To his soldiers, he said, Get in there and get the men!
Water splashed and mud flew in all directions as the soldiers dove in.
When they dragged the men out, I saw my convict alongside the other man I had seen that morning.
I didn't want either convict to see me, so I hid behind one of the soldiers.
My convict said to the sergeant, I was making sure you caught him.
You remember that.
I helped you.
The sergeant said, It won't do you a bit of good.
You're going back to the prison ship.
Nothing you can say or do will make one bit of difference.
Now, you remember that.
The other convict's face was bruised and battered.
Take notice, guards, he snarled.
That man tried to hurt me.
Ha, said my convict.
I gave you up, that's all.
I wasn't going to let the likes of you get away.
My convict turned to the sergeant.
I escaped, I'll admit it.
When I discovered he was here, I went back to catch him.
Otherwise, I would have been long gone by now.
I'd have been a dead man if you soldiers hadn't shown up, the other convict said.
Liar, my convict shouted.
Look in his eyes and tell me he's not lying.
It's written all over his face.
"'Enough!' the sergeant shouted.
The convict's eyes met mine at the moment I peeked out from my hiding spot.
I tried to signal that none of this was my fault, but from the strange look on his face I don't think he understood.
"'That's enough out of the two of you,' the sergeant said to the convicts.
He nodded to the soldiers and ordered, "'March!'
Torches lit up the night as the soldiers moved the prisoners forward.
Joe took my hand.
We walked for almost an hour before coming to the docks.
From there, we could see the great big prison ship in the distance.
One of the soldiers took the other convict on board a rowboat going back to the ship.
My convict was to be next.
I want to say something about my escape, my convict said.
Say what you like, the sergeant looked at him coolly, but it won't be here.
You can speak once you're back on the ship.
No, I need to clear the air.
A man can't be expected to starve, can he?
I'm ashamed to say I took some food from the blacksmith.
My goodness, said the sergeant as he looked at Joe.
My goodness, said Joe as he looked at me.
I took some pie, something to drink, some bread and some cheese.
The sergeant said, Blacksmith, were you missing this food?
Joe said, My wife noticed. at the very moment you arrived at our door.
Isn't that right, Pip?
I nodded, my eyes wide.
My convict said, I'm sorry to have taken your pie.
That's okay, Joe said kindly.
No one deserves to starve, you poor fellow.
The prison boat with its heavy chains and dark wood glowed like a pirate ship.
I watched my convict being taken back to it, Even though he had confessed, I didn't feel right.
I knew I should tell Joe the whole truth, but my legs gave out from exhaustion before I could say a word.
Joe carried me the rest of the way home.
When I woke up, I was in the parlor with our guests.
They listened as Joe told the story of what had happened.
No one could figure out how the convict had gotten to the house to steal the food.
As I drifted off to sleep, the answer was on my tongue, but the words never came out.
After the excitement of Christmas, my life settled down and continued as normal.
In time, I was to become a blacksmith, just like Joe.
For now, I was too young to be a proper apprentice.
My sister hired me out to do odd jobs, scaring birds and picking up stones.
I went to school in the evenings.
That's where I met Biddy.
She was the granddaughter of the headmistress and very nice.
She helped me with my lessons.
One day I was sitting in the parlor writing a letter to Jo.
It was Biddy's idea.
She thought it would help me learn the alphabet.
The letter was messy, but I passed it to him anyway.
"'What a good student you are, Pip,' he said as he looked at the slate.
"'What printing!
I can see a J and an O and a Pip in there.'
"'But can you read the rest?'
I asked.
"'The rest?'
I leaned over and read the letter out loud to him.
You don't like to read?
Was never taught, Joe said.
Why not?
I became a blacksmith instead, same as my father and same as you'll become one day, Joe replied.
I took care of the family because we didn't have the money to send me to school.
Then I met your sister, which meant I met you.
The day I told her there was room for both of you here was the... happiest day of my life.
I hugged him.
His eyes twinkled and he said It wouldn't be so hard for you to teach me what you're learning now, would it?
But let's keep it a secret from your sister.
It'll just make her mad.
We worked together until the clock on the wall chimed eight.
Mrs. Joe will be home from Uncle soon, Joe said.
We stopped reading, tidied up, and stoked the fire so the room would be warm for her return.
We heard the horse coming up the road, and Joe set my sister's chair in front of the fire.
She and Uncle Pumblechook came in, carrying the cold air with them.
My sister pulled off her hat.
"'If Pip isn't grateful for this night, I don't know what to do with him.'
I tried to look as grateful as I possibly could.
She continued, "'My only hope is that the whole thing doesn't spoil him.'
She wants this boy to go and play at her house, so he's going and he'd better behave himself.
Everybody knew who Miss Havisham was a very rich and gloomy lady who lived in a large and scary house in town.
I wonder how she came to know Pip, Joe asked.
You noodle, my sister said to Joe.
Who said she knows Pip?
No, she knows Uncle Pumblechook.
She asked if he knew a boy who could play with a girl.
Estella.
This could be the best thing that ever happened to Pip.
Miss Havisham is rich.
She might even help him later in life if he behaves.
Goodness, we've got to get you ready.
I was soaked, scrubbed, and toweled within an inch of my life.
The clean clothes my sister made me wear were stiff and itchy.
I was to spend the night at Uncle's house before going to see Miss Havisham the next day.
Goodbye, Joe.
Goodbye, Pip.
You take care, Joe said.
I had never spent a night apart from him since coming to live at the forge.
The thought brought tears to my eyes.
Out in the night with Uncle, the stars lit up the sky.
They couldn't shed any light on how I ended up going to see Miss Havisham, nor what I would play with once I was there.
