l on account of our being
Americans, I could not find it in my heart to turn away from him. He had
touched the right spot in our national character, and perhaps we felt a
little vain, and a desire that his expectations should be fulfilled.

"Your honor is going to do something for us?" the soldier said, and he
read the expression of my face correctly.

With none too much confidence in my own skill, I determined to undertake
his cure, and at work Fred and myself went, I taking the soldier and he
the Irishman.

For the information of those who may be disposed to question my skill,
I will state that I first washed the wound in tepid water, using castile
soap to cleanse the parts, and that after a patient process, I covered
the cut with salvo, such as we had brought from Boston, and then bound
it up with clean bandages, and gave him strict orders not to remove the
cloths, or to use his hand in working. Other directions, concerning
diet, I administered, and made my patient promise to keep them, and
after I had concluded, I was obliged to attend another, and out of
charity, Fred and myself were kept working until near sundown.

"That is the best day's work that you ever performed," the inspector
said, as the last patient took his departure, profuse in his thanks.
"Before this time to-morrow, the skill of the American doctors, as they
will insist upon calling you, will be so magnified, that there is no
disease that they will not insist you can cure. Two branches of business
are now offered you--that of a professional gentleman, and the more
plebeian one of a storekeeper."

"The latter, by all means," replied Fred, with a laugh at the idea of
our having M.D. added to our names.

"Don't make sport over that which may yield a large income," the
inspector said, seriously; "I have seen injuries dressed in a worse
manner than those this afternoon."

"Perhaps," I rejoined, thinking that he was disposed to make game of us.

"I am honest in my expression, and to prove it so, how many regular
surgeons or physicians do you think there are at Ballarat?"

"Ten," I answered, at a venture.

"One is the actual count; the balance are quacks, or else apothecaries'
apprentices, escaped from indentures, who find a rich field in
humbugging the unwary."

"Well, let them operate," returned Fred; "we will not enter into
competition with them at present. But come in and eat supper with us,
for we have many things to talk about."

"I acc