.

Mr. Murdstone did not take any notice of me, nor had Miss Murdstone a
word of kindness for me. Peggotty was to leave in a month, and, to my
great joy, I was allowed to go with her on a visit to Mr. Peggotty. On
our way I found out that the mysterious message I had given to Peggotty
meant that Barkis wanted to marry her, and Peggotty had consented.
Everyone in Mr. Peggotty's cottage was pleased to see me, and did their
best to comfort me. Little Em'ly was at school when I arrived, and I
went out to meet her. I knew the way by which she would come, and
presently found myself strolling along the path to meet her.

A figure appeared in the distance before long, and I soon knew it to be
Em'ly, who was a little creature still in stature, though she was grown.
But when she drew nearer, and I saw her blue eyes looking bluer, and her
dimpled face looking brighter, and her own self prettier and gayer, a
curious feeling came over me that made me pretend not to know her, and
pass by as if I were looking at something a long way off. I have done
such a thing since in later life, or I am mistaken.

Little Em'ly didn't care a bit. She saw me well enough; but instead of
turning round and calling after me, ran away laughing. This obliged me
to run after her, and she ran so fast that we were very near the cottage
before I caught her.

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said little Em'ly.

"Why, you knew who it was, Em'ly," said I.

"And didn't _you_ know who it was?" said Em'ly. I was going to kiss her,
but she covered her cherry lips with her hands, and said she wasn't a
baby now, and ran away, laughing more than ever, into the house.

She seemed to delight in teasing me, which was a change in her I
wondered at very much. The tea-table was ready, and our little locker
was put out in its old place, but instead of coming to sit by me, she
went and bestowed her company upon that grumbling Mrs. Gummidge; and on
Mr. Peggotty's inquiring why, rumpled her hair all over her face to hide
it, and would do nothing but laugh.

"A little puss it is!" said Mr. Peggotty, patting her with his great
hand.

"Ah," said Peggotty, running his fingers through her bright curls,
"here's another orphan, you see, sir, and here," giving Ham a backhanded
knock in the chest, "is another of 'em, though he don't look much like
it."

"If I had _you_ for a guardian, Mr. Peggotty," said I, "I don't think I
should _feel_ much like it."

Em'ly was confused by our all