An Adulteration Act Read online

for the cook.

  "You're wanted, Frank," said the solicitor.

  "When he calls me doctor, I'll go," said the other, stiffly.

  "_Cook!_" bawled the second officer. "_Cook!_ COOK!"

  He came running forward, his face red and angry, and his fist doubled."Didn't you hear me calling you?" he demanded, fiercely.

  "I've been promoted," said Carson, sweetly. "I'm ship's surgeon now."

  "Come down below at once, or I'll take you there by the scruff of yourneck," vociferated the other.

  "You're not big enough, little man," said the doctor, still smiling."Well, well, lead the way, and we'll see what we can do."

  He followed the speechless second officer below, and found the boy'sdescription of the first officer's state as moonlight unto sunlight, aswater unto wine. Even the second officer was appalled at the spectacle,and ventured a protest.

  "Gie me something at once," yelled Mr. Mackenzie.

  "Do you wish me to undertake your case?" inquired the doctor, suavely.

  Mr. Mackenzie said that he did, in seven long, abusive, and wickedsentences.

  "My fee is half a guinea," said the doctor, softly, poor people whocannot afford more, mates and the like, I sometimes treat for less."

  "I'll die first," howled the mate; "you won't get any money out of me."

  "Very good," said the doctor, and rose to depart.

  "Bring him back, Rogers," yelled the mate; "don't let him go."

  But the second officer, with a strange awesome look in his eyes, wasleaning back in his seat, tightly gripping the edge of the table in bothhands.

  "Come, come," said the doctor, cheerily--"what's this? You mustn't beill, Rogers. I want you to nurse these other two."

  The other rose slowly to his feet and eyed him with lack-lustre eyes."Tell the third officer to take charge," he said, slowly; "and if he's tohe nurse as well, he's got his hands full."

  The doctor sent the boy to apprise the third officer of hisresponsibilities, and then stood watching the extraordinary and snakelikeconvolutions of Mr. Mackenzie.

  "How much--did--ye say?" hissed the latter.

  "Poor people," repeated the doctor, with relish, "five shillings a visit;very poor people, half a crown."

  "I'll have half a crown's worth," moaned the miserable mate.

  "Mr. Mackenzie," said a faint voice from the skipper's cabin.

  "Sir?" yelled the mate, who was in torment.

  "Don't answer me like that, sir," said the skipper, sharply. "Will youplease to remember that I'm ill, and can't bear that horrible noiseyou're making?"

  "I'm--ill--too," gasped the mate.

  "Ill? Nonsense!" said the skipper, severely. "We can't both be ill.How about the ship?"

  There was no reply, but from another cabin the voice of Mr. Rogers washeard calling wildly for medical aid, and offering impossible sums inexchange for it. The doctor went from cabin to cabin, and, firstcollecting his fees, administered sundry potions to the sufferers; andthen, in his capacity of cook, went forward and made an unsavory mess hecalled gruel, which he insisted upon their eating.

  Thanks to his skill, the invalids were freed from the more violent oftheir pains, but this freedom was followed by a weakness so alarming thatthey could hardly raise their heads from their pillows--a state of thingswhich excited the intense envy of the third officer, who, owing to hisresponsibilities, might just as well have been without one.

  In this state of weakness, and with the fear of impending dissolutionbefore his eyes, the skipper sent for Mr. Harry Thomson, and after somecomparisons between lawyers and sharks, in which stress was laid uponcertain redeeming features of the latter, paid a guinea and made hiswill. His example, save in the amount of the fee, was followed by themate; but Mr. Rogers, being approached tentatively by the doctor in hisfriend's behalf, shook his head and thanked his stars he had nothing toleave. He had enjoyed his money, he said.

  They mended slowly as they approached Hong-kong, though a fit of temperon Mr. Mackenzie's part, during which he threw out ominous hints abouthaving his money back, led to a regrettable relapse in his case. He wasstill in bed when they came to anchor in the harbour; but the skipper andhis second officer were able to go above and exchange congratulationsfrom adjoining deck-chairs.

  "You are sure it wasn't cholera?" asked the harbour-master's deputy, whohad boarded them in his launch, after he had heard the story.

  "Positive," said Carson.

  "Very fortunate thing they had you on board," said the deputy--"veryfortunate."

  The doctor bowed.

  "Seems so odd, the three of them being down with it," said the other;"looks as though it's infectious, doesn't it?"

  "I don't think so," said the doctor, accepting with alacrity an offer togo ashore in the launch and change into some decent clothes. "I think Iknow what it was."

  The captain of the _Stella_ pricked up his ears, and the second officerleaned forward with parted lips. Carson, accompanied by the deputy andthe solicitor, walked toward the launch.

  "What was it?" cried the skipper, anxiously.

  THE SECOND OFFICER LEANED FORWARD]

  "I think that you ate something that disagreed with you," replied thedoctor, grinning meaningly. "Good-by, captain."

  The master of the _Stella_ made no reply, but rising feebly, tottered tothe side, and shook his fist at the launch as it headed for the shore.Doctor Carson, who had had a pious upbringing, kissed his hand in return.