for they were again at their usual flow, and he was full of vivacious conversation as we went along.

‘And so,’ he said, gaily, ‘we abandon this buccaneer life tomorrow, do we?’

‘So we agreed,’ I returned. ‘And our places by the coach are taken, you know.’

‘Ay! there’s no help for it, I suppose,’ said Steerforth. ‘I have almost forgotten that there is anything to do in the world but to go out tossing on the sea here.

I wish there was not.’

‘As long as the novelty should last,’ said I, laughing.

‘Like enough,’ he returned; ‘though there’s a