‘I pulled my little Emily up and kissed her,’ Mr Peggotty went on. ‘I told her that I would never let her go again.’
‘Are you taking her back to Yarmouth?’ I asked.
Mr Peggotty shook his head. ‘she doesn’t want to go there,’ he said. ‘I have another plan. I’m taking little Emily with me to another country, far away . We are emigrating to Austtalia.
We can both begin a new life. No one will know about little
Emily there.’
‘What about Ham?’ I asked.
‘My sister is living in Ham’s house now and she looks after
him. Mrs Gummidge is wirh them too,’ Mr Peggotty said. ‘I am
going back to Yarmouth to say goodbye. Would you came
with me, Master Davy? That would make things easier for me.
Little Emily is in a safe place now. Nothing and no one will harm her.’
I spoke to Dora and she was happy for me to go. Next morning,
Mr Peggotty and I were on the Yarmouth coach.
It was strange to meet all my old friends again. Mr Peggotty went to the old boat to pack his things and Mrs Gummidge went with him. Later, I spoke to Ham as we walked together on the beach. Ham spoke first.
‘Have you seen her, Master Davy?’ he asked quietly, looking at the sea.
I shook my head. ‘No. It would upset her too much,’ I said sadly. ‘But if you have a message for her, I’ll write to her.’
‘Tell her that I loved her,’ Ham said. ‘I still do, Master Davy.
Tell her I remember the happy times. I’ll never forget her and I’ll never marry now. I wish her well in her new life. My uncle will look after her, I am sure of that. I am losing both of them, I know. But it is the best thing to do. Give my uncle my thanks. I know that you are going back to the house, so I’ll leave you now. And thank you, sir, for coming with him Goodbye.’
I watched the young fisherman as walked away across the beach. Then I turned towards the old boat.
The old place looked very strange in the moonlight. My dear friends were leaving their home for the last time and the boat would soon be empty.
As I went inside for the last time, I felt very sad.
‘Come, Mrs. Gummidge,’ Mr. Peggotty was saying kindly. ‘It’s time to go. I’ll take you and your things to I lam’s house.’
Suddenly, Mrs. Gmmidge began to cry. ‘Please, Mr.Peggotty, take me with you to Australia!’ she said. ‘I’ll look after you and little Emily, just as I have always done.’
Mr.Peggotty was very surprised. ‘But it’s a long way to Australia and it’s a long hard journey,’ he said. ‘And it will be a hard life when we get there.
‘I know,’ Mrs.Gummidge replied. ‘I don’t care. I want to go with you. Please say that I can.’
Mr.Peggotty smiled. He carried out Mrs.Gummidge’s box, blew out the candle and locked the door for the last time.
The next morning, the three of us were on the coach to London.