When I awoke, cold and shivering, the sun had risen and was shining, as well as he could shine for the white mist that lay, like a veil of gauze, over all the wooded flats that skirt for many miles the great world of London. My companion was still there, and baby had woken up, too, and begun to crow, probably in imitation of the many cocks that were hallooing to each other over all the country. And now my attention was directed, in fact riveted, to a very curious pantomime which was being performed by the young lady; I had seen the like before, and often have since, but never could solve the mystery. Her eyes were fixed on baby, whose eyes in turn were fastened on her, and she was bobbing her head up and down on the perpendicular, like a wax figure or automaton; every time that she elevated she pronounced the letter "a," and as her head again fell she remarked "gue," thus completing the word "ague," much to the delight of little moonface, and no doubt to her own entire satisfaction. "A-gue! a-gue!" Well, it certainly was a morning to give any one ague, so, pulling out my brandy-flask, I made bold to present it to her. "You seem cold, ma'am," said I; "will you permit me to offer you a very little brandy?" "Oh dear, no! thanks," she answered quickly. "For baby's sake, ma'am," I pleaded; "I am a doctor." "Well, then," she replied, smiling, "just a tiny little drop. Oh dear! not so much!" It seemed my ideas of "a tiny little drop," and hers, did not exactly coincide; however, she did me the honour to drink with me: after which I had a tiny little drop to myself, and never felt so much the better of anything. Euston Square Terminus at last; and the roar of great London came surging on my ears, like the noise and conflict of many waters, or the sound of a storm-tossed ocean breaking on a stony beach. I leapt to the platform, forgetting at once lady and baby and all, for the following Tuesday was to be big with my fate, and my heart beat flurriedly as I thought "what if I were plucked, in spite of my M.D., in spite of my C.M., in spite even of my certificate of virtue itself?" CHAPTER TWO. DOUBTS AND FEARS. MY FIRST NIGHT IN COCKNEYDOM.