ony bairns?"

Flora pointed, with a feeling of maternal pride, to the little Josey,
who was sleeping upon Hannah's knees,--a lovely picture of healthy,
happy infancy.

"Ay, she's bonnie," cried the kind Doctor, taking one of the tiny
alabaster fingers of the babe in his red, rough hand. "Sma' need o' a
dochter in her case. An' wha's this woman?" touching Hannah's shoulder
with his forefinger.

"My nurse-girl."

"A married woman?"

"No, Sir."

"She shu'd be, I'm jist thinkin'; it will not be lang before she's a
mither," muttered the little man. Then, turning quickly to Flora, he
said, "I wull speak to the medical man on board, an' tell him to tak'
partic'lar care o' you during the voyage. What's his name?"

"There is no such person. The vessel is too small to incur such an
expensive addition to the comfort of her passengers. The captain told me
that he was his own doctor."

"How many passengers does he tak' out?"

"Seventy-two in the steerage, five in the cabin, besides his crew, eight
in number."

"Eighty-five human beings, an' no medical man on board! 'Tis jest a'
disgrace to the owners, and shu'd be reported. In case o' cholera, or
ony other epeedemic brakin' out amang ye, wha wu'd become o' ye a'?"

"We must trust in God. The great Physician of souls will not be
forgetful of our bodily infirmities."

"True, true, young leddy; cling close to Him. Ye ha' muckle need o' His
care. An' dinna trust your life to the dochtering o' a sullen ignoramus
like the captain,--an obstinate, self-willed brute, that, right or
wrang, will ha' his ain way. Dinna tak' ony medicine frae him."

Flora was amused at the idea of calling in a one-eyed Esculapius like
the jolly captain. The absurdity of the thing made her laugh heartily.

"It's nae laughing matter," said the little doctor, whose professional
dignity was evidently wounded by her mistimed mirth.

"Hout! dinna' I ken the man for the last ten years or mair. Thae
medicine kist he prizes mair than his sole remaining e'e, an' fancies
himsel a dochtor fitting a king. Ye canna' please him mair than by
gie'n' him a job. The last voyage he made in this verra brig, he
administered in his ignorance, a hale pint o' castor oil in ain dose to
a lad on board, which took the puir fallow aff his legs completely.
Anither specimen o' his medical skill was gie'n are o' his crew, a
heapen spun-fu' o' calomel, which he mistook for magnesia. I varilie
believe that he canna' spell wee