after he had felt the pulses of the wounded men; "very low—desperately low—in fact, infernally low."
"Can nothing be done for them?" Dodge, who knew Dr. Bathey well, inquired in a whisper.
"A great deal might if I had my instruments; but really, when one considers that they both must die, perhaps it is as well I am without them." Dodge thought so too. "You see — What's his name? the magistrate, is as good as dead already, and as for the other fellow, my professional skill would be thrown away upon him, for what I saved, the law would spoil; therefore," he concluded, "my opinion is that they had better die quietly and comfortably.—Ten and sixpence if you please."
"And six! nothing less?" Dodge inquired with a very serious expression of face.
"Ten and six if you please. My scale of fees for advice is moderate.—Dog, two shillings; cattle, five ditto; horse, seven and six; man—noble man, ten and six."
"Knock off the sixpence," Dodge said, coaxingly.
Impossible, my dear sir: you asked for my opinion; I gave it you.—Ten and sixpence if you please."
"Exchange is no robbery," Dodge replied: I'll pay you in your own coin." So drawing himself up with a look of great importance, and gently tapping the side of his nose with his finger, he beckoned Dr. Bathey to his side, and still whispering said, "In case you should ever come across me when I'm sick—now pay attention to what I say—don't attempt your tinkering upon me, or I'll be the death of you. That's my advice, for which I charge you nothing. My opinion is, that you are a humbug, an opinion cheap at ten and six, and so our account is squared;" so saying he took Bathey by the hand and with a quiet sniggle told him in confidence, that he hadn't as much as seen a half sov. for the last two years, but that if he would meet
