eel more and more like myself. It was very
aggravating, to be sure! Unless he came quickly the doctor would hardly
think me ill at all. And yet I _must_ be ill, even though it cost an
effort!

When the doctor did arrive I did my best, by putting on a pained
expression of countenance, by breathing rather hard and closing my eyes
occasionally, to make him feel he had not come for nothing. But somehow
I didn't quite succeed. He smiled pleasantly as he just touched my
pulse, and gave a single glance at my protruded tongue.

"There's nothing wrong with him, except a black eye or so. Fighting, I
suppose. Boys will be boys. Send him to bed early to-night, Mrs Nash,
and he'll be all right in the morning."

"But what about--about the smallpox?" I inquired, forgetting that
during the last speech I had been lying with my eyes closed, apparently
unconscious.

The doctor laughed noisily, and Mrs Nash joined in the chorus.

"We'll see about him when we catch him, my young fighting-cock," replied
he, and then went.

Then I hadn't really got it! A nice fool I had made of myself! Larkins
had, of course, announced it to all the lodgers at Mrs Nash's, to my
employers and fellow-clerks, and here was I all the while as right as a
trivet, with nothing but a bruised face and an empty stomach afflicting
me. Was ever luck like mine?

I took care to be in bed before the fellows got home that evening, but
as I lay awake I could hear their laughter down stairs, and it was not
hard to guess what it was about. Larkins came up to my room.

"You're a nice fellow, Batchelor," said he, laughing, "telling me it was
smallpox! You gave me such a fright. I told all the fellows, and at
your office, and you should have seen how blue they all looked. What a
sell it will be when you turn up all serene." This was pleasant.

"You'd better not be too sure," I said, still clinging to my ailment.
"It may be it after all. The doctor said I was to go to bed early to-
night and keep quite quiet. I'd advise you not to stay in the room,
Larkins."

"Oh, all right, good-night," said Larkins, going to the door.

I heard him whistling merrily down the stairs, and felt still more
uncomfortable. However, merciful sleep ended my troubles for a season.
I slept like a top all that night, and woke next morning as fresh and
well as I had ever been in all my life. The only thing wrong with me
was the colour of my face. That was certainly rather bri