ner side
of the bed, and turning his back unceremoniously upon his visitor.

Dr. Cricket received this demonstration with unconcern. He took out
his thermometer and shook it against his wrist. Then resting one knee
on the bed he thrust the thermometer into his recalcitrant patient's
mouth, saying: "Don't crunch on it, unless you want your mouth full of
glass, and your belly full of mercury. Now for the pulse. Ah! too
fast--I expected as much."

He took out the thermometer and held it to the light. "Over one
hundred--see here, young man, it's well you sent for me when you did."

"I wish I hadn't."

"So do I, from a professional point of view. Nothing so good for
doctors' business as delay in sending for us. As it is, I fear I can't
conscientiously make more than two calls, or keep you in bed after
to-morrow."

"But what are you going to do for this accursed pain in the head?"

"Oh, that's of no consequence--only a symptom. It's the fever that
worries me."

"Oh, it is--is it? Well, it is the pain that worries me, and if you
don't do something about it, I'll fire your old bottles out of the
window."

"Very good. Then I will send back to Mrs. White's for more bottles and
a straight-jacket to boot--"

"So you live at Mrs. White's, do you?"

"No, sir, I do not _live_ anywhere in summer--I board."

The doctor chuckled over his little joke as genially as if it had
never seen the light before; but humor does not appeal to a man with a
headache, and antique humor least of all.

"That's where Miss Fred and that freckled-faced brother of hers
stay--isn't it?" Flint continued.

"Ah, do you know the Anstices?"

"Not I--that is, I never saw the young woman till yesterday; but to
the best of my belief she is not human at all, only an evil genius of
the region who goes about with incantations which cause fishing-rods
to break at the end, and boats to run onto rocks."

"So--ho! You were the skipper of 'The Aquidneck,' were you? Well,
well! no wonder you're laid up with a chill. We nearly burst our
blood-vessels, laughing over Miss Fred's account of you, rising up
like a ghost out of the eel-grass, and the topmast of your boat
sticking up out of the water like a dead man's finger."

Dr. Cricket's little black eyes twinkled with enjoyment as he recalled
the scene. The misguided man fancied he was helping to take his
patient's thoughts off himself, and, having measured out his powders
and potions, he took his departure