It was eight o’clock when I reached the riverside. The air smelled of wood and old boats. The area was strange to me, and it was difficult to find the place I was looking for. It was called Mill Pond Bank, near an old landmark called the Green Copper Rope-walk.
Eventually, I found a house with three floors and large windows. A kind woman named Mrs. Whimple opened the door. Herbert was already there, and he led me into a small, clean room.
As we sat there, I heard a loud, angry roaring sound from the floor above us.
“That is Clara’s father,” Herbert whispered with a smile. “I call him ‘Old Gruffandgrim,’ but his real name is Mr. Barley. He was a sailor, but now he has gout and stays in bed all day. He is a difficult man who drinks too much rum.”
Suddenly, the roar from upstairs became even louder. It sounded like a giant was hitting the floor with a wooden leg.
“He is calling for Clara,” Herbert explained.
A moment later, the door opened, and a very pretty young woman with dark eyes came in. This was Clara. She was carrying a basket. Herbert showed me what was inside: bread, cheese, and some meat.
“Mr. Barley insists on weighing all the food himself,” Herbert said. “He stays upstairs and shouts orders all day.”
Clara was gentle and kind. She clearly loved Herbert, and I was happy for my friend. She had to leave us quickly to take care of her father, who was shouting again.
Herbert and I then went to the top floor to see Provis. He was living there under the name "Mr. Campbell." He seemed much calmer than before.
I told him about Wemmick’s warning. “Wemmick found out that my house is being watched,” I said. “He thinks you are in danger. You must stay here and keep the door locked. We will wait for the right moment to get you out of London.”
Provis agreed. He trusted Wemmick’s advice.
Then, Herbert shared a plan he had been thinking about. “Pip, you and I are both good at rowing boats,” he said. “You should buy a boat and keep it at the Temple stairs. If you go out on the river every day, people will get used to seeing you. It will look like a hobby. Then, when the time comes to leave the country, we can row Provis down the river ourselves. No one will suspect a thing.”
I thought this was a brilliant idea, and Provis liked it too. We agreed on a signal: if Provis saw us rowing past the house and everything was safe, he would lower the window blind.
Before I left, I said goodbye to Provis.
“Dear boy,” he said, holding my hands. “I don’t like to say goodbye. Let’s just say good-night.”
I went home alone, feeling very tired and worried. When I reached my rooms in the Temple, everything was quiet. I looked out the window at the moonlight, wondering if we were truly safe.
The next day, I bought a boat. I began to practice rowing every day, sometimes alone and sometimes with Herbert. At first, I stayed near my home, but soon I began to row further down the river, past Mill Pond Bank.
Every time I passed the house, I saw the signal. The blind went down, which meant Provis was safe.
Herbert visited the house three times a week and brought me news. Everything seemed to be going well, but I could not stop feeling nervous. I felt as if someone was always watching me from the shadows. Every time I saw a dark shape on the river, I felt a flash of fear. I was terrified that Provis’s enemies were coming for him, moving silently through the dark water.