I could think of nothing better to say than “I am glad you think so, Joe.”

“So am I,” returned Joe, catching me up.

“I am glad I think so, Pip. A little redness or a little matter of Bone, here or there, what does it signify to Me?”

I sagaciously observed, if it didn't signify to him, to whom did it signify?

“Certainly!” assented Joe. “That's it. You're right, old chap! When I got acquainted with your sister, it were the talk how she was bringing you up by hand. Very kind of her too, all the folks said, and I said, along with all the folks. As to you,” Joe pursued with a countenance expressive of seeing something very nasty indeed, “if you could have