o
absorb professional attention from it, to invite his brother surgeons,
if at hand at the time, to a ceremonious consultation upon it. And
this, in courtesy, his brother surgeons expect.

In pursuance of this custom, then, the surgeons of the neighbouring
American ships of war were requested to visit the Neversink in a body,
to advise concerning the case of the top-man, whose situation had now
become critical. They assembled on the half-deck, and were soon joined
by their respected senior, Cuticle. In a body they bowed as he
approached, and accosted him with deferential regard.

"Gentlemen," said Cuticle, unostentatiously seating himself on a
camp-stool, handed him by his cot-boy, "we have here an extremely
interesting case. You have all seen the patient, I believe. At first I
had hopes that I should have been able to cut down to the ball, and
remove it; but the state of the patient forbade. Since then, the
inflammation and sloughing of the part has been attended with a copious
suppuration, great loss of substance, extreme debility and emaciation.
From this, I am convinced that the ball has shattered and deadened the
bone, and now lies impacted in the medullary canal. In fact, there can
be no doubt that the wound is incurable, and that amputation is the
only resource. But, gentlemen, I find myself placed in a very delicate
predicament. I assure you I feel no professional anxiety to perform the
operation. I desire your advice, and if you will now again visit the
patient with me, we can then return here and decide what is best to be
done. Once more, let me say, that I feel no personal anxiety whatever
to use the knife."

The assembled surgeons listened to this address with the most serious
attention, and, in accordance with their superior's desire, now
descended to the sick-bay, where the patient was languishing. The
examination concluded, they returned to the half-deck, and the
consultation was renewed.

"Gentlemen," began Cuticle, again seating himself, "you have now just
inspected the limb; you have seen that there is no resource but
amputation; and now, gentlemen, what do you say? Surgeon Bandage, of
the Mohawk, will you express your opinion?"

"The wound is a very serious one," said Bandage--a corpulent man, with
a high German forehead--shaking his head solemnly.

"Can anything save him but amputation?" demanded Cuticle.

"His constitutional debility is extreme," observed Bandage, "but I have
seen more dang