The Gold Hunters' Adventures Part 76

"But there is some mistake here. You have applied to the wrong man," I replied.

"No mistake, yer honor," answered a st.u.r.dy, good-looking, bronzed fellow, with a military air and a military salute; "we've heard of yer honors, and we know that ye can do us good without wringing the last shilling from us, like those blood-sucking sawbones."

"They take us for physicians," muttered Fred, in astonishment.

"You are mistaken," replied Mr. Brown; "they are poor devils, who cannot afford to employ a surgeon, so come to you to get their wounds dressed.

If you have any knowledge of cuts and bruises, a.s.sist them, and you will be no loser by it."

The advice was good, but the idea of our prescribing and dressing all the wounds of the poor of Ballarat was something that we had not bargained for.

"You see, your honor, I got an ugly cut on my hand with a shovel, a few days since, and, somehow, I don't think that it's doing very well," the military man said, exposing his right hand, which looked in a horrible condition.

"You should ask the advice of a physician," I said, after a brief inspection of the poor fellow's injury; "inflammation has set in, and you will have trouble, unless the cut is attended to."

"I know that, yer honor; but it's little the doctors around here care for me, unless I visit 'em with a gold piece in my hand. I've paid six pound already, and I think I'm getting worse very fast."

I could not help pitying the poor fellow, he was such a sample of manly strength, and bore himself like a true soldier. He had been discharged from the British army, at the expiration of his time, and was in hopes of making money enough to go home and live in peace with his parents.

All this I learned after a few minutes' conversation; and when I saw that he regarded us as superior in medical intelligence to the few practising surgeons at Ballarat, and all on account of our being Americans, I could not find it in my heart to turn away from him. He had touched the right spot in our national character, and perhaps we felt a little vain, and a desire that his expectations should be fulfilled.

"Your honor is going to do something for us?" the soldier said, and he read the expression of my face correctly.

With none too much confidence in my own skill, I determined to undertake his cure, and at work Fred and myself went, I taking the soldier and he the Irishman.

For the information of those who may be disposed to question my skill, I will state that I first washed the wound in tepid water, using castile soap to cleanse the parts, and that after a patient process, I covered the cut with salvo, such as we had brought from Boston, and then bound it up with clean bandages, and gave him strict orders not to remove the cloths, or to use his hand in working. Other directions, concerning diet, I administered, and made my patient promise to keep them, and after I had concluded, I was obliged to attend another, and out of charity, Fred and myself were kept working until near sundown.

"That is the best day's work that you ever performed," the inspector said, as the last patient took his departure, profuse in his thanks.

"Before this time to-morrow, the skill of the American doctors, as they will insist upon calling you, will be so magnified, that there is no disease that they will not insist you can cure. Two branches of business are now offered you--that of a professional gentleman, and the more plebeian one of a storekeeper."

"The latter, by all means," replied Fred, with a laugh at the idea of our having M.D. added to our names.

"Don't make sport over that which may yield a large income," the inspector said, seriously; "I have seen injuries dressed in a worse manner than those this afternoon."

"Perhaps," I rejoined, thinking that he was disposed to make game of us.

"I am honest in my expression, and to prove it so, how many regular surgeons or physicians do you think there are at Ballarat?"

"Ten," I answered, at a venture.

"One is the actual count; the balance are quacks, or else apothecaries'

apprentices, escaped from indentures, who find a rich field in humbugging the unwary."

"Well, let them operate," returned Fred; "we will not enter into compet.i.tion with them at present. But come in and eat supper with us, for we have many things to talk about."

"I accept the invitation with more pleasure than you are aware of, because the exquisite flavor of the pickled salmon that I ate for breakfast is still lingering in my mouth, and I long for another taste."

We humored our friend by complying with his hint, and after we had finished our tea, we lighted our pipes, talked business, and broached a subject to Smith, which we had entertained ever since we had decided to go into business.

Our proposition to Smith was, that he should form one of a partnership, to be conducted under the firm of Frank, Jack, & Smith. The latter was to attend to the freighting and buying in Melbourne, while we would do the trading and selling at Ballarat. We agreed to put in three thousand dollars each, and we were to value Smith's team and animals, and allow a fair price for them, and then he was to make up with cash enough to bring his capital equal to ours.

There were many things which we had to say that we did not like to discuss before the inspector, so that when he arose to go, we felt thankful. We then drew up articles of partnership, and gave Smith an order to get the gold which we had stored at the old stockman's, and to take a certain portion of it to buy goods, and deposit the remainder to our order in the Melbourne Bank. After our business was completed, the night was far advanced; and with bright antic.i.p.ations for the future, we retired to our hard beds, and dreamed of home and happiness.

CHAPTER x.x.xIX.

ATTEMPT OF THE HOUSEBREAKER.--ATTACK BY THE SNAKE.

I confess that it is somewhat startling to awaken a few minutes before sunrise, and see a dozen rough, gaunt, ragged men, standing near the entrance of one's tent, and to hear them whisper in a low tone, as though they intended murder, or robbery at least; and it was with the latter impression that I sprung from my couch, revolver in hand.

"What is the meaning of all this?" I asked, rubbing my eyes, not being thoroughly awakened.

"Ah, yer honor is awaken, is ye?" inquired a familiar voice; and upon closer inspection, I found that our Irish friend, whose hand Fred had dressed the succeeding evening, was one of our visitors.

"Ah, it's you, is it?" I asked, hastily concealing my revolver. "What has sent you here so early?"

"Faith, it's yer honor that may well ax that. It's a beautiful night's rest I had, yer honor, and I couldn't rest without coming and telling yer honor of it. It's painless is my hand, and it's all owing to the doctoring, I know, glory to G.o.d; and it's a few friends of mine I've brought wid me, whom I hope yer honors will look at for my sake, and long life to yer honors' ginerosity."

"Well, this is cool, certainly," I said, in a low whisper to Fred. "What are we to do? We can't afford to devote all our nights and mornings to practising on the philanthropic style."

"We must make the best of our bargain, at present If we should turn them away, people would say that we possessed no feeling, and as likely as not we should get insulted in some manner or other during the first drunken fray that occurred near our new place of business. As we have begun, so must we finish."

I concluded that Fred's advice was far the best, and without another complaint, I a.s.sisted him to go through with our new patients. As usual, they left, profuse in their thanks, but no substantial token of their appreciation was deposited with us.

There was one thing that we found we were running short of, and that was salve; and we saw, perhaps with some tokens of satisfaction, that when that was ended, our career of doctoring would also terminate.

After breakfast, Smith yoked up his team, and moved our tent and worldly goods to the new house which we had purchased the day before. The man from whom we had bought it was all packed up and ready to start for Melbourne that very day, and when he found that Smith was going on the same journey, he engaged a pa.s.sage, and expressed, in heartfelt thanks, his joy at the prospect of his soon leaving Ballarat forever.

"I 'ope," he said, in c.o.c.kney dialect, "that I never shall be obliged to earn my living in a country vare the spiders are as big as a 'at, and as savage as a bull dog--vare snakes crawl into bed vith yer, and drive yer out--and vare the inhabitants had rather tell a lie than the truth. I'm going 'ome to Hingland, and those vot vant gold may come 'ere and dig it if they please, for all I care."

Our parting with the honest fellow who had been our companion for so many days, and who had shared with us so many adventures, was of a sorrowful nature, and it seemed as though all that we held dear on the island was lost to us. Even Smith tried hard to conceal his grief, and I saw moisture in his eyes as he turned towards his rattle, after receiving our instructions for the last time, and started on his long journey.

The team was just disappearing from view, when his pa.s.senger, who, owing to his rheumatism and a light freight, was allowed to ride, struggled to his feet, and gave us a parting salutation.

"Look out for the snakes," he yelled; "they is apt to enter the 'ouse during the night and if you value your dog you'd better tie him on to the roof, or he'll be swal--"

The balance of the wretch's remark was lost in the distance, but we knew its meaning, and almost wished the same might befall the late proprietor of the building, before he reached Melbourne.

Our feelings were not very lively during the day, yet we went to work and made many improvements in our future home, and even got hold of a few boards,--remnants of boxes,--which we nailed on the roof; and by purchase and favor, were enabled to complete it in the course of a week, so that by spreading tarred sail cloth upon the boards, we flattered ourselves that we should be comparatively protected from the heavy rain storms which comprise the winter months.

We cleaned out our store, and arranged the few articles which we owned, and got ready for commencing business when Smith returned. Then we began painting a huge sign on strong sail cloth, and acting on the inspector's suggestion, called our place the "International Store."

By night time we were thoroughly tired, and were ready to thank fortune that our usual number of patients was not present to demand our _professional_ aid. The inspector dropped in to see us for a short time, after supper; but he did not stop long, as a large meeting of the miners was to take place that night, and he expected quite a stir would be made in regard to the mining tax. We were therefore left alone to pa.s.s the night, and after an inspection of the horses, and finding that they were doing well, we "turned in," as the sailors say, and slept soundly for three or four hours, when I was awakened by a low growl from Rover, who was lying at my feet.

I started at the sound, and listened, but could discover no cause for alarm. Still, I saw that the hound was restless, and through the darkness observed that his eyes burned like coals of fire, and that he appeared to be watching for further signs of danger.