wn, sir."

"Will I die?" asked Dennis, lugubriously.

"No danger, now. You might, if I hadn't come just as I did."

Matters were soon remedied, and Dennis went away relieved, well
satisfied because the doctor declined, under the circumstances, to
receive any fee.

"Now, Sam," said the doctor, after he had gone, "what do you mean by
such work as this?"

"I thought I could do it," said Sam, abashed.

"I ought to turn you away for this."

"It was only a mistake," said Sam.

"It came near being a very serious mistake. What would you have done
if I had not come just as I did?"

"I don't know," said Sam.

"Never touch my instruments again. If you do I shall discharge you at
once; that is, after giving you a sound flogging."

Sam felt that he had got off easily, and determined not to set up
again as doctor on his own account.

CHAPTER XXIII.

SAM FALLS INTO BAD COMPANY.

For a time matters went on smoothly. Sam was abashed by the result of
his experiment, and discouraged from making another. He felt that he
had a good place. Living chiefly at the lodging-house his expenses
were small, and four dollars a week were ample to meet them. There was
one thing he missed, however,--the freedom to roam about the streets
at will. He felt this the more when the pleasant spring weather came
on. There were times when he got sick of the confinement, and longed
to leave the office.

It was a bright morning in May when Dr. Graham called from the inner
office:--

"Sam."

"What, sir?"

"Do you know the way to Brooklyn?"

"Yes, sir."

"I want you to go over there for me."

"All right, sir."

It may be explained that Dr. Graham, on the first of May, had moved
over to Brooklyn, and was occupying a house about a mile from Fulton
Ferry.

"I want you to go to my house," said the doctor, "No. -- H---- street,
and carry this letter to my wife."

"Yes, sir."

"I forgot entirely to leave her some money to meet a bill; but if you
go at once it will reach her in time. Stay, I will give you the
address on a card."

"All right, sir."

"Here is a quarter. It will pay your car-fare, and over the ferry both
ways. Now, mind you come back as quick as you can."

This Sam readily promised. He was glad to get away for the morning, as
he calculated that the expedition would take him nearly, or quite,
three hours. He took a car and got out at the Astor House. On his way
down to the ferry he met an old street acquaintance,