My hand upon it! Ham, I give you joy, my boy.

My hand upon that, too! Daisy, stir the fire, and make it a brisk one! and Mr.Peggotty, unless you can induce your gentle niece to come back (for whom I vacate this seat in the corner), I shall go.
Any gap at your fireside on such a night--such a gap least of all--I wouldn't make, for the wealth of the Indies!' So Mr.Peggotty went into my old room to fetch little Em'ly.

At first little Em'ly didn't like to come, and then Ham went.

Presently they brought her to the fireside, very much confused, and very shy,--but she soon became more assured when she found how gently and respectfully Steerforth spoke to her; how skilfully he avoided anything that would embarrass her; how he talked to Mr.Peggotty of boats, and ships, and tides, and fish; how he referred to me about the time when he had seen Mr.Peggotty at Salem House; how delighted he was with the boat and all belonging to it; how lightly and easily he carried on, until he brought us, by degrees, into a charmed circle, and we were all talking away without any reserve.
Em'ly, indeed, said little all the evening; but she looked, and listened, and her face got animated, and she was charming.

Steerforth told a story of a dismal shipwreck (which arose out of his talk with Mr.
Peggotty), as if he saw it all before him--and little Em'ly's eyes were fastened on him all the time, as if she saw it too.