l it was in coarse bits, he mixed with
it a little water, and baked this horrible mess before the fire, in the
hot ashes. Then he asked for a slice of bacon, as venison was not at
hand, frizzled the out side slightly by holding it up on a cleft stick
before the fire, burning his ten fingers several times in the process,
and bearing it with heroic fortitude. Finally, he served up these
atrocious specimens of cookery on pieces of board instead of dishes, as
the proper diet for children of nature--and philosophers!

As he could not induce the other _savants_ to prefer the luncheon of
wild Indians to that of civilized Christians, Dr. Sheepshanks ate it
all up himself, though, in fact, his rebellious palate steadily refused
to relish the dainties prepared for it. Science must be made to triumph,
however, and the little doctor gallantly charged these "What is It's" of
cookery and finished the last morsel under furious protest of stomach.

Somewhat comforted by the meal, and seeing that the clouds had given
place to a clear sky, the philosophers resumed their dressing gowns,
woefully shrunken by the wetting and drying they had received, and
having liberally paid their hostess, started on the homeward road;
concluding that they had seen enough for one day. They were in the very
poorest condition for a long walk, for their theories, so far from
making them any happier, had produced only ill effects. Dr. Sheepshanks'
healthful exercise had given them all stitches in the sides, and aches
in the back; Dr. Smelfungus's knowledge of botany had betrayed them into
such excesses of melon alias turnip eating, that various queer doublings
up in the epigastric region began to make themselves apparent; the
natural philosophy, which had led Dr. Van Noostile and his good friends
to parade along the middle of the road in the sun, had given them
furious headaches; and, to crown all, Dr. Skihi now made the most
brilliant proposal of anybody.

Our good doctor was evidently brimming, one might say creaming, over
with the milk of human kindness; beyond a possible doubt he was about to
propound a discovery of benefit to the whole world. His bald head beamed
benevolence, overflowing beneficence to all mankind radiated from the
very tails of his dressing gown as he cried:

"My dear friends, you are all too tired to walk home now, ain't you? You
would like to get there before you could say 'Jack Robinson'--now,
wouldn't you? and if I were to accompl