Having arrived at Yarmouth, David acquires a room at an inn before going out for a walk. Though late (it is 10 p. m.), David notices Mr. Omer, the draper/undertaker, smoking a pipe in his parlor. David makes his presence known to Mr. Omer, who heartily welcomes David.
When David asks Mr. Omer about Mr. Barkis’ health, Mr. Omer cites the impropriety of doing so on account of his profession. David agrees that that would indeed be improper and steers the conversation to Emily.
According to Mr. Omer, Emily is as pretty and as hard working as she ever was. Yet, he tells David, that she is unsettled on account of Mr. Barkis’ illness which has postponed her wedding date. He tells David that though Emily’s attachment to her guardian Mr. Peggotty is heartwarming, she would be better off getting married to Ham and moving out of the boat house what with Ham being the most gentle and honorable of fellows.
By and by, Mr. Omer’s daughter Minnie and her husband arrive with news of Mr. Barkis. He is worse off than he ever was, and it won’t be long before he dies. When told that Mr. Peggotty is currently at Mr. Barkis’ house, David decides to go there himself.
David’s arrival at Mr. Barkis’ house heartens Mr. Peggotty and David’s former nurse and Mr. Barkis’ wife Peggotty. But as attested to by Mr. Omer, David finds Emily, who is also there with her husband-to-be Ham, unusually withdrawn. Indeed, when it’s proposed that Ham take Emily home to the boathouse, Emily resists, clinging onto Mr. Peggotty. When Ham proposes that both he and Emily will stay to keep vigil, Mr. Peggotty objects, arguing that Ham being a working man must attend to his duties the first thing in the morning. Thus Ham departs, leaving Emily in Mr. Peggotty’s custody.
When David’s former nurse and Mr. Barkis’ wife Peggotty brings David before Mr. Barkis, Mr. Barkis, who had been hitherto silent and immobile, stirs and repeats a refrain familiar to David (“Barkis is willin’”) before drawing his last breath. The refrain is Mr. Barkis determination to marry Peggotty, which Mr. Barkis had first disclosed to David.