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 competition 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.