Part 2 (1/2)
”Yes, uncle,” said the boy, pus.h.i.+ng the decanter along the table.
”And pray what for, sir?”
”To do good to people.”
”What? A doctor do good! Rubbis.h.!.+ Never did me a bit of good.”
”Oh, but they do, uncle.”
”Never, sir. That Liss has pretty well poisoned me over and over again.”
”Oh, uncle, what a--”
”You say that if you dare, sir,” cried the old admiral, bringing his hand down bang upon the table, and making the gla.s.ses dance. ”It's the truth. Always made my gout worse. Colchic.u.m--colchic.u.m--colchic.u.m--and the pain awful. Doctors are an absurd new invention, and of no use whatever.”
”Why, you always have a doctor on board s.h.i.+p.”
”Surgeon, you young dog, surgeon. Doctor! Bah! Hang all doctors! A surgeon is of some use in action, cutting, and splicing, and fis.h.i.+ng a poor fellow's limbs; but a doctor--”
At that moment a rubicund butler opened the dining-room door, and stood back for some one to enter.
”Doctor Liss, sir,” he said quietly; and a quick, eager-looking little man in snuff-coloured coat and long, salt-box-pocketed waistcoat entered the room, handing his c.o.c.ked hat and stick to the butler, and nodding pleasantly from one to the other.
”Who was that shouting for the doctor?” he said cheerily, as he rubbed his hands; then took out a gold snuff-box, tapped it, opened it, and handed it to the captain.
”You, wasn't it, Sir Thomas? Touch of your old enemy?”
”No,” grunted the admiral, ”I'm sound as a roach. Bah!”
”Thankye, Liss,” said the captain, taking his pinch, and handing back the box; ”sit down. Syd, pa.s.s those clean gla.s.ses.”
The admiral took a pinch, and then the new-comer took his, loudly snapped-to the box, and drew out a delicate cambric handkerchief to flap off some snuff from his s.h.i.+rt-frill.
As soon as the doctor was comfortably seated the port was pa.s.sed, and then there was silence, Sydney looking from one to the other, and wondering what was coming next.
The doctor, too, looked from one to the other and formed his own opinion.
”Hullo!” he said. ”In disgrace, Sydney? What have you been doing, sir?”
”Eating walnuts,” said the boy, mischievously.
”And defying his father and uncle--a dog!” cried the admiral. ”Here, Liss; what do you think he says?”
”Bless me! I don't know.”
”Why, confound him! says he wants to be a doctor.”
”Does he?” cried the new-comer, turning to look at Sydney. ”Well, I'm not surprised.”
”But I am,” cried Captain Belton, angrily.