d the carrier.

"There," I said.

"Where's there?" inquired the carrier.

"Near London," I said.

"Why, that horse," said the carrier, jerking the rein to point him out,
"would be deader than pork afore he got over half the ground."

"Are you only going to Yarmouth then?" I asked.

"That's about it," said the carrier. "And there I shall take you to the
stage-cutch, and the stage-cutch that'll take you to--wherever it is."

I shared my cakes with the carrier, who asked if Peggotty made them, and
told him yes, she did all our cooking. The carrier looked thoughtful,
and then asked if I would send a message to Peggotty from him. I agreed,
and the message was "Barkis is willing." While I was waiting for the
coach at Yarmouth, I wrote to Peggotty:

"MY DEAR PEGGOTTY:--I have come here safe. Barkis is willing. My love to
mamma. Yours affectionately.

"_P.S._--He says he particularly wanted you to know _Barkis is
willing_."

At Yarmouth I found dinner was ordered for me, and felt very shy at
having a table all to myself, and very much alarmed when the waiter told
me he had seen a gentleman fall down dead after drinking some of their
beer. I said I would have some water, and was quite grateful to the
waiter for drinking the ale that had been ordered for me, for fear the
people of the hotel should be offended. He also helped me to eat my
dinner, and accepted one of my bright shillings.

After a long, tiring journey by the coach, for there were no trains in
those days, I arrived in London and was taken to the school at
Blackheath, by one of the masters, Mr. Mell.

I gazed upon the schoolroom into which he took me, as the most forlorn
and desolate place I had ever seen. I see it now. A long room, with
three long rows of desks, and six of long seats, bristling all round
with pegs for hats and slates. Scraps of old copy-books and exercises
litter the dirty floor.

Mr. Mell having left me for a few moments, I went softly to the upper
end of the room, observing all this as I crept along. Suddenly I came
upon a pasteboard placard, beautifully written which was lying on the
desk, and bore these words--"_Take care of him._ _He bites._"

I got upon the desk immediately, afraid of at least a great dog
underneath. But, though I looked all round with anxious eyes, I could
see nothing of him. I was still engaged in peering about when Mr. Mell
came back, and asked me what I did up there.

"I beg your pardon, sir," says I, "if