Final answer:
In Chapter 5 of 'Great Expectations', while there is an implied sympathy towards the convicts from Pip and Joe, it is not explicitly stated that both hoped the convicts had escaped; therefore, the correct answer is false.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to a specific event in Chapter 5 of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In this chapter, when Joe, Pip, and Mr. Wopsle join the soldiers in chasing the convicts, Pip and Joe indeed feel a sense of sympathy towards the escaped convicts.
They both harbor a secret hope that the convicts have managed to attain freedom. This reflects the depth of Pip's feelings towards one of the convicts who has become an important figure in his life, as well as Joe's inherent kindness. However, the question poses a statement as to whether both agreed that they hope the wretched men had escaped, which is false. Neither Joe nor Pip explicitly states this hope, but it is implied through Pip's narrative and the tension within him.