a dose of
something to send him to sleep? But I know. You got tight hold of the
tooth and tugged it out."

"How are you going to get tight hold of a savage's tooth when you can
see him ready to pull out his kris, and your hands are trembling like
banana-leaves in a storm?"

"Well, I should have asked him to give me the kris to put away in case
of accidents," said Archie merrily.

"Ask a Malay to give you his head to put away in case of accidents!"
cried the Doctor sarcastically. "No, sir; I took my courage in both
hands and approached him."

"Why, you were holding the instrument in one hand, sir," said Archie
merrily; and Minnie laughed.

"Ah, you are getting too sharp, sir," cried the Doctor. "But I can tell
you it was nervous work, and for a few minutes I felt sure that if I
operated on him he would operate on me; and if I had thought of it at
the time, I think I should have called in my wife to stand sentry with a
revolver."

"Oh dear me!" sighed Mrs Morley, as she drew some work out of her
handbag.

"Well," continued the Doctor, "I got a good hold of the tooth at last,
gave a wrench--"

"And out came the tooth," said Archie quickly.

"No, it didn't, sir; and as I stood over the man, looking down into his
fierce eyes, he snatched his hand from his waist, and I turned cold, for
I felt it was all over, when in an instant up came the other hand, and
both of them closed over my wrist, giving me such a wrench that it quite
startled me; and it was then that the tooth came out."

"And the toothache was cured, sir?" cried Archie.

"Minnie, my dear," said Mrs Morley quietly, "do you notice any
difference in that story since your uncle told it last?"

"Yes, aunt; it is much more flowery than it used to be."

"Flowery!" growled the Doctor. "Why, Archie, my lad, that story is as
true as true. Indeed, I should have been able to show you the great
tooth as a proof, only the man took it away. He was one of my first
patients when I came here; and I never had any fee."

"For shame, Henry! The man is always bringing you fruit or fish. I am
sure that he would do anything for you."

"Well, yes," said the Doctor, "he has been grateful in his way; but I
never feel sure that those fellows will not make use of their krises."

CHAPTER FIVE.

THE OFFICERS' WASHING.

"Oh, here you are, Mrs Smithers. Aunt was saying just now that she
wondered you had not been up. I told her perhaps it was on account of
th