Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Chapter 28 Page 3

High Street. My patroness, too, might hear of him, and not approve.

On the whole, I resolved to leave the Avenger behind.

It was the afternoon coach by which I had taken my place, and, as winter had now come round, I should not arrive at my destination until two or three hours after dark. Our time of starting from the Cross Keys was two o'clock. I arrived on the ground with a quarter of an hour to spare, attended by the Avenger, — if I may connect that expression with one who never attended on me if he could possibly help it.

At that time it was customary to carry Convicts down to the dock-yards by stage-coach.

As I had often heard of them in the capacity of outside passengers, and had more than once seen them