tent of the wound. If the dura mater be penetrated, and the arachnoid
cavity be opened, then there will be in all probability a very
considerable extravasation of blood, and by this time, doubtless,
serious inflammation of all the surrounding tissues. The aperture being
very small and the depression somewhat extensive, it will be necessary
to remove--to saw out, in short--a portion of the skull," lifting up a
fierce-looking instrument.

Carroll groaned.

"Let me out!" he whispered hoarsely, rising and feeling his way with
outstretched hand to the door. "I can't stand this bloody divil!"

Ike opened the door, while Shock sprang to support the groping man.

"Lave me be!" he said fiercely, with a curse, and pushing Shock back he
stumbled out.

"Ah," said the doctor, with evident satisfaction, "there are various
methods of removing obstructions, as I have said. We shall now no
longer delay." And he proceeded to clip away the golden curls from
about the wound. "These," he said, holding them up in his fingers and
looking at them admiringly, "we had better preserve. These beautiful
locks may be priceless to the mother, priceless indeed. Poor, bonnie
laddie! Now we shall prepare, we shall aseptically prepare, the whole
field of operation. A sponge that's it. That will do. Now, let us
examine the extent of the injury," feeling with dextrous fingers about
the edge of the slight wound, and over all the depressed surface.

"Ah! as I feared. The internal table is widely comminuted, and there is
possibly injury to the dura mater. We must excise a small portion of
the bone. The scalpel, please." Then, after laying back with a few
swift, dexterous movements the scalp from about the wounded parts: "The
saw. Yes, the saw. The removal of a section," he continued, in his
gentle monotone, beginning to saw, "will allow examination of the
internal table. A sponge, please. Thank you. And if the dura mater--"
Here the stillness of the room was broken by a sound from Ike. The
doctor glanced at him.

"This is a very simple part of the operation," he explained, "a very
simple part, indeed, and attended with absolutely no pain. A sponge,
please. Thank you. Now the forceps. Yes."

He snipped off a section of the bone. Ike winced "Ah, as I feared.
There is considerable comminution and extravasation. Yes, and owing to
the long delay, and doubtless to the wet applications which the
uninitiated invariably apply, pus. Now, the carbolic solution,