‘Must my boy make pills himself, then?’ asked the major, ruefully.

’To be sure.  The youngest apprentice always does.  It’s not hard work.  He’ll have the comfort of thinking he won’t have to swallow them himself.  And he’ll have the run of the pomfret cakes, and the conserve of hips, and on Sundays he shall have a taste of tamarinds to reward him for his weekly labour at pill-making.’

Major Coxe was not quite sure whether Mr. Gibson was not laughing at him in his sleeve; but things were so far arranged, and the real advantages were so great that he thought it was best to take no notice, but even to submit to the indignity of pill-making.  He was consoled for all these rubs by Mr. Gibson’s manner at last when the supreme moment of final parting arrived.  The doctor did not say much; but there was something of real sympathy in his manner that spoke straight to the father’s heart, and an implied ’you have trusted me with your boy, and I have accepted the trust in full,’ in each of the last few words.

Mr. Gibson knew his business and human nature too well to distinguish young Coxe by any overt marks of favouritism; but he could not help showing the lad occasionally that he regarded him with especial interest as the son of a friend.  Besides this claim upon his regard, there was something about the young man himself that pleased Mr Gibson.  He was rash and impulsive, apt to speak, hitting the nail on the head sometimes with unconscious cleverness, at other times making gross and startling blunders.  Mr. Gibson used to tell him that his motto would always be ‘kill or cure,’ and to this Mr. Coxe once made answer that he thought it was the best motto a doctor could have; for if he could not cure the patient, it was surely best to get him out of his misery quietly, and at once.  Mr. Wynne looked up in surprise, and observed that he should be afraid that such putting out of misery might be looked upon as homicide by some people.  Mr Gibson said in a dry tone, that for his part he should not mind the imputation of homicide, but that it would not do to make away with profitable patients in so speedy a manner; and that he thought that as long as they were willing and able to pay two-and-sixpence for the doctor’s visit, it was his duty to keep them alive; of course, when they became paupers the case was different.  Mr. Wynne pondered over this speech; Mr. Coxe only laughed.  At last Mr. Wynne said,—­

’But you go every morning, sir, before breakfast to see old Nancy Grant, and you’ve ordered her this medicine, sir, which is about the most costly in Corbyn’s bill?’

’Have you not found out how difficult it is for men to live up to their precepts?  You’ve a great deal to learn yet, Mr. Wynne!’ said Mr Gibson, leaving the surgery as he spoke.

‘I never can make the governor out,’ said Mr. Wynne, in a tone of utter despair.  ‘What are you laughing at, Coxey?’