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→ling his instrument so as to shew the way of fixing it on the tooth. "When one comes to you with a raging tooth, it be best to take it out straight, for thereby shall you ease him of his toothache, and be at least a groat the richer for your pains. Now, there be two kinds of teeth, as it be writ in Aristotle, 'malus puer,' an easy tooth,' and 'bonus puer,' an obstinate tooth;' that is to say, one that will out with a small tug, and one that you may try ever so at, and it shall stick as firm as ever. Now, suppose you that this be the jaw of one that hath come to you to do your office on him for the riddance of his pain-for of a sure thing it be better at first to practise on such a thing as this than meddle with a living mouth; which remindeth me of what hath been said on this very subject by the learded Podalirius: De gustibus non est disputandum:' which, rightly translated, reads thus'Touch but the tail of a living dog and he shall snap at you presently; but you may hawl a dead lion by the ear and he shall take it exceeding civil of you.' If the tooth be a back tooth, and in the under jaw (getting your patient to sit quiet and say nothing), you shall presently put your instrument into his mouth and fix the claw on the further side of the tooth, thus-holding it down firm with the finger of the other hand; then shall you give it a wrench, and, doubtless, it will come out, as you see."

"That be bravely done, master, sure enough!" exclaimed Harry Daring, who had watched the whole operation with an abundance of curiosity. "And methinks I can do it now."

"Be not too hasty, boy," replied his master. "See me do it some two or three times more, then shall you take the instrument and try for yourself." At this the old man went over the same process once or twice, with much the same directions as at first; to the which his apprentice did seem to direct an earnest attention, then gave he the instrument into the boy's hands, and held the jaw for him to pull at.

"Now, supposing one came to you with a raging tooth, how would you set about the extracting of it?" asked Master Lather, with a famous serious countenance.

"Why, I would do in this sort," answered the other, setting briskly about the operation. " I would make him open his jaw straight, and fixing the instrument in a presently, I would give him a twist thus."

"Oh! you're pinching my thumb!" screamed the old man, stamping with the pain; and then releasing of it from the instrument in monstrous quick time, he sat twisting himself about a shaking of his hurt hand, and making of such faces as were a marvel to look upon. "What an absolute awkward varlet are you! Oh, my thumb! my thumb!

the flesh is squeezed to the very bone. Never was master plagued with such a clumsy apprentice. Oh, my thumb-it doth pain me piteously!"

"I knew not it was so nigh," said the boy with as grave a face as he could, though, from the twinkle in the rogue's eye, it was manifest he had perfect knowledge of the matter. Then he set to pulling out of the remaining teeth as if he was a doing of it for a wager. "But see, master, how

bravely I can manage it."

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Nay, I will give you no more lessons for the present—I have had enough of you!" exclaimed his master, taking his hat from a pin against the wainscot, and his stick out of the corner. "I am going to Master Tickletoby the schoolmaster," he continued, putting on his hat, and making for the door. "Send for me, if I be wanted. Oh, my thumb! my thumb!"

"Ha!" cried Harry Daring, as soon as the old man had disappeared. "Doubtless thou art for the picking up of some more Latin which old Tickletoby-a murrian on him for having given me the birch so oft!-doth get out of his school books; and which, as Master Francis hath assured me, thou dost misapply most abominably; and he says thy translations be as much like the original as is a Barbary hen to a dish of stewed prunes. But I care not, so that there be fun in the world, and plenty of it."

Then finding he had taken out all the teeth from the jaw, he flung it aside, and looked as if he scarce knew what to be at.

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By Gog and Magog!" exclaimed he, chafing of his hands merrily. “If there should come one with a raging tooth now, I would be at it without fail, for it seemeth to me exquisite sport. Indeed, 'tis a thousand pities there be no living jaw to have a twist at; what, puss! puss! hast got never a raging tooth in thy head, puss? Come, none of thy nonsense!" he added, seeing that the cat, who knew him and his tricks of old, thinking that he meant her no good, after a pitiful mew, was making off to be out of his way. But he soon had hold of her; lifting her by the scuff of her neck, he carried her to the three legged stool, on which he sat himself down, and placed her upon her back in his lap; where she lay very quiet, as if scarce daring to move, and only now and then noticing what he was a doing of by a mew so exceeding piteous, that few could resist it: yet he minded it not a whit.

"So thou hast not forgot how I singed off thy whiskers, seeking to give them a right fashionable curl," said the boy very seriously, as he took in his hand the tooth instrument, and seemed intent on getting it into the cat's mouth. "I know thou hast got a villainous toothache by the look of thee, and, mayhap, I will do thee such excellent service

as to take it out. Ay, and charge thee nothing for't; inasmuch as thou hast nothing to pay, and be hanged to thee! else shouldst thou pay a groat like any other Christian. And I will talk Latin to thee, puss, and though I made nothing of it at school, at least shall it be as famous Latin as my master's, and thou shalt understand it as well, I'll be bound. For is it not writ in Aristotle, that there be two kinds of teeth-as hocus pocus,' 'an easy tooth'-' presto prestissimus,' 'an obstinate tooth.' So open thy mouth, puss, and quickly. Nay, if thou dost but attempt to scratch, I'll give thee such a clout of the head as shall put all thy nine lives in jeopardy. I do assure thee, puss, 'tis all for thy good, so there be no need of setting up so piteous a mewing;-which remindeth me of what hath been said on this subject by the learned Podalirius, fol de riddle ido lillibullero wriggledumfunnibus,' which, rightly translated, reads thus -'he can bear very little pain who crieth out before he be hurt.' Ha!-thou understandest Latin, I see, by the very wagging of thy tail. So, prythee, open thy mouth at once, there's a good puss, for I must give thy jaw a twist for the fun of the thing. What, thou wilt not, ey? O' my life, I'll shave thy tail as bare as my hand, and make thee ashamed to shew thyself before thy sweetheart,—for truly is it said by Esculapius, hoppeti kickoti corum hic hæc hoc cum tickle me,' the which doth mean,

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