ed affront. His name was Dr.
Caldwell, and he was sometimes known as the 'Fire-eating Surgeon.' Both
of us, being very hungry when we got on shore, thought we would have a
jolly good breakfast before visiting the objects of interest in the
place.

"'Come with me, Dan,' said the Doctor, 'and I will take you to a famous
restaurant frequented by all the savants of the city. Astronomers and
political economists go there, and Italian refugees and communists too.
Frenchmen rarely have more than a crust of bread and a cup of coffee
before noon; but if the frog-eaters have such a thing in their larder,
we'll have a beefsteak or a brace of chops.'

"With that he led me into a quiet side street, and we soon reached the
restaurant. Early as it was, the principal dining-room was filled with
customers sipping their coffee, and I could see at a glance that they
were of no common order. They appeared to form a kind of literary class.

"We took our seats at a table which was already occupied by an old
French gentleman, with a mustache and beard of a decidedly military cut.

"'Two large beefsteaks!' shouted the Doctor, in a voice which attracted
the attention of everyone in the room.

"The waiter looked at us as if we were lunatics escaped from an asylum,
and said, in broken English, '_Messieurs_, this is not the time for
beefsteaks. Beefsteaks are at twelve o'clock. 'Tis now only half-past
eight.'

"'Two beefsteaks, d'ye hear!' again roared the Doctor.

"'Certainlee, if _messieurs_ will have it so,' replied the waiter,
somewhat staggered.

"'Beefsteak! Beefsteak!! Beefsteak!!!' was the exclamation which went
from one person to another around the room, and all eyes were turned
towards us.

"'Look,' said the Doctor, 'how these French fools stare. Confound them!
What do they mean?'

"'Pardon me, sare,' remarked the old gentleman at our table, addressing
himself to me, 'ess zis your breakfast or your dinnaire?'

"'Don't answer him,' said the Doctor; 'we'll have some sport with these
fellows.'

"The beefsteaks were brought, and we attacked them with great effect.

"'It must be ze dinnaire,' muttered our military friend to himself, just
loud enough for us to hear.

"'Pardon me, gentlemen,' he again said, addressing himself to me in a
louder tone, 'ess zis your breakfast or your dinnaire?'

"'Bring some fried eggs,' called out the Doctor, before I could answer.

"'_Oui, messieurs_,' replied the waiter, quickly darting into