yhow, I shall go down and try to clear the matter up. If I succeed--
well. If not--"

His thoughts were diverted at this point by the entrance of Bob Smart.
That energetic individual had been to visit the frost-bitten seamen, for
whose comfort an old out-house had been made weather-tight, and fitted
up as a rough-and-ready hospital.

"They're all getting on famously," said Bob, rubbing his hands, as he
sat down and pulled out the little black pipe, to which he was so much
addicted. "Green's left little toe looks beautiful this morning, quite
red and healthy, and, I think, won't require amputation, which is well,
for it is doubly a _left_ little toe since you cut off the right one
yesterday. His big toe seems to my amateur eye in a thoroughly
convalescent state, but his left middle finger obviously requires
removal. You'll do it to-day, I suppose?"

"Yes, I meant to do it yesterday," answered Redding, with much gravity,
"but gave it another chance. How's Brixton?"

"Oh, he's all right. He groans enough to make one believe he's the
worst of 'em all, but his hurts are mostly skin deep, and will heal no
doubt in course of time. His nose, certainly, looks blobby enough, like
an over-ripe plum, and I rather think it's that which makes him growl so
horribly; but after all, it won't be shortened more than quarter of an
inch, which will be rather an advantage, for it was originally too long.
Then as to Harper and Jennings, they are quite cheery and their
appetites increasing, which is the best of signs, though, I fear, poor
fellows, that the first will lose a hand and the other a foot. The
dressings you put on yesterday seem to have relieved them much. I wish
I could say the same for the poor nigger. His foot is sure to go. It's
in such a state that I believe the cleverest surgeon alive couldn't save
it, and, even if he could, what's left of it would be of no use. You
know I have a mechanical turn, and could make him a splendid wooden leg
if you will pluck up courage to cut it off."

"No," said Redding decidedly; "it's all very well to lop off a finger or
a toe with a razor, but I don't think it's allowable for an amateur to
attempt a foot except under circumstances of extreme urgency."

"Well, it don't much matter," continued Bob Smart, drawing vigorously at
the black pipe, "for we'll have an opportunity of sending them up to
Quebec in a week or so, and in the meantime the poor fellows are very
jolly consider