plaister. Hand me the sponge-that tying the knot was sharpish pain, but you'll no suffer mair. Have you got the soldering-iron ?" "Yes, Sir-here it is, all hot!" ("Oh!" groans, and wincing.) "Bide still, mon; it's only to warm the plaister!" And strip upon strip of Baynton's adhesive were put on hot enough to cause more wincing, until the whole of the part resembled an overgrown star-fish. The operation was now pronounced over. As strangers left the scene of action, the loblolly-boy was ordered to wipe dry and re-anoint the instruments, and the patient was carried as he lay, face downwards, and in that position placed on a mattress in a cot, which was to be hoisted into its place outside the berth, where he was in. Curtle was told to keep himself in that position, and if hemorrhage did not come on, for four or five hours, "By which time," said the Doctor, sotto voce, "I shall give him something to prevent fever." Then came the hoisting-up, at which work the youngsters all took part in. The cot was no sooner up, than down it went at the foot, Cornwallis declaring the lanyard had broken. When the end was up, down came the other; but some of us interfered, and he was placed as the Doctor had ordered, told to keep quiet, and there we left him. Sure enough, the disciple of Galen did administer to his patient as nauseous a draught as was ever concocted, with a view of preventing fever— a precaution rendered necessary, after so much fear and excitement. In the course of a few hours, Curtle was allowed to turn over, and, without being enlightened, passed the night, and would have passed many days probably in this state of ignorance, had it not been for the Captain's inquiries, when it became necessary to informi the victim of the hoax, of the practical joke that had been played upon him. Curtle did not long remain in the ship after her arrival at Quebec. He found her too hot to hold him; and Captain Warwick giving him his discharge, he left the service for the back woods, where we afterwards heard he became a settler, assisted by his family in England. It was a good riddance for my cousin, and all hands. He left without one expression of regret, for he was without a friend. END OF VOL. I. PRINTED BY CHARLES BEVAN AND SON, |