You had better give it to me to take care of

　　It was a happy circumstance for me that Traddles came back first. He enjoyed  my placard so much, that he saved me from the embarrassment of either disclosure or concealment, by presenting me to every other boy who came back, great or  small, immediately on his arrival, in this form of introduction, 'Look here!  Here's  a game!'  Happily, too, the greater part  of the boys came back low-spirited,  and were not so boisterous at my expense as I had expected.  Some of them  certainly did dance about me like wild Indians, and the greater part could not resist  the temptation of pretending that I was a  dog, and patting and soothing me, lest  I should  bite, and  saying, 'Lie  down, sir!'  and calling  me Towzer.  This  was naturally confusing, among so many strangers, and cost me some tears, but on the whole it was much better than I had anticipated.

　　I was not considered as being formally received into the school, however,  until J. Steerforth arrived.  Before this boy, who was reputed to be a great  scholar, and was  very good-looking,  and at  least half-a-dozen  years my  senior, I was carried as before a  magistrate.  He inquired, under  a shed in the  playground, into the particulars of  my punishment, and was  pleased to express his  opinion that it was 'a jolly shame'; for which I became bound to him ever afterwards.

　　'What money have you got, Copperfield?'  he said, walking aside with me  when he had disposed of my affair in these terms.  I told him seven shillings.

　　'You had better give it to me to take care of,' he said.  'At least, you can  if you like.  You needn't if you don't like.'

　　I hastened to comply with his friendly suggestion, and opening Peggotty's purse, turned it upside down into his hand.

　　'Do you want to spend anything now?' he asked me.

　　'No thank you,' I replied.

　　'You can, if you like, you know,' said Steerforth.  'Say the word.'

　　'No, thank you, sir,' I repeated.