his throat and drenched him
with black draughts. Stand aside, friends, and you shall see that a
surgeon's skill is superior to a doctor's knowledge. I have your leave,
sir, to proceed as I consider necessary?" he asked, turning to the
major.

"Certainly," answered my uncle; "if Doctor Murphy considers him dead and
you believe him to be alive, and act accordingly, I have more hopes in
the results of your skill than in that of the other gentleman."

"You'll remain in town some time, sir, I presume, and as you're a
gentleman, I shall expect a visit from you," exclaimed the fat doctor,
as, nearing the door, he made a bow, and, gold cane in hand, waddled out
of the room.

Mr O'Shea cast a contemptuous glance at him, and then kneeling down,
applied his knife to the nape of Larry's neck. Warm blood immediately
spouted forth. "I told you so," he exclaimed; "blood doesn't flow like
this from a corpse. Bring hot water and cloths." These he applied to
Larry's neck, and continued to pour the water on them, "to draw out the
blood," as he said, and relieve the patient's head. Then pressing his
knees against Larry's shoulders, he gave a pull at his head which seemed
likely to dislocate his neck, if it hadn't been broken already.

As he did this, he exclaimed, "There now, I have taken the twists out,
and the boy will be all to rights in the course of an hour."

A groan and a heavy sigh proclaimed that there was still life in poor
Larry. Presently he opened one eye and then the other, and some
spoonfuls of whisky and water, which Surgeon O'Shea poured down his
throat, contributed still further to revive him.

In the course of half-an-hour Larry asked in a low voice, "Did yer beat
back the O'Sullivans, yer honour? shure they were coming after us at a
mighty great rate, and I fancy some one of them gave me a whack on the
crown which brought me to the ground."

"Keep quiet and don't be talking," answered the surgeon, who, proud of
his success, had been carefully watching his patient. "He'll do now,
gentlemen," he added, looking up at my uncle and me. "We'll put him to
bed, and by to-morrow morning he'll be as blithe as a lark, barring a
stiff neck."

CHAPTER FOUR.

MY FIRST DAY ON BOARD.

I sat up with Larry for the greater part of the night, after the surgeon
had left him. He groaned sometimes as if in pain, and talked at one
time of the scrimmage with the O'Sullivans, and at another of his
fiddle, which he fea