"My dear Joe," I cried, in desperation, taking hold of his coat, "don't go on in that way. I never thought of making Miss Havisham any present."

     "No, Pip," Joe assented, as if he had been contending for that, all along; "and what I say to you is, you are right, Pip."

     "Yes, Joe; but what I wanted to say, was, that as we are rather slack just now, if you would give me a half-holiday to-morrow, I think I would go up-town and make a call on Miss Est--Havisham."

     "Which her name," said Joe, gravely, "ain't Estavisham, Pip, unless she have been rechris'ened."

     "I know, Joe, I know. It was a slip of mine. What do you think of it, Joe?"

     In brief, Joe thought that if I thought well of it, he thought well of it. But, he was particular in stipulating that if I were not received with cordiality, or if I were not encouraged to repeat my visit as a visit which had no ulterior object but was simply one of gratitude for a favor received, then this experimental trip should have no successor. By these conditions I promised to abide.