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. "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.

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"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, cy? 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, 'that a cat with a shaved tail be by no means comely to look upon.'

6

Here he was interrupted by an old woman with her jaw tied up, entering at the door; at the sight of which, he let down the cat very quickly, and with an exceeding innocent face, advanced up to her.

Where be Master Lather?" cried the dame in right piteous accents, as with a shrewish countenance of exceeding uneasiness, she sat herself down on a chair, swaying backwards and forwards, and making such a moaning as was quite moving to hear.

"He be out, good dame, and will tarry long, doubtless, seeing that he be gone to set a marvellous bad dislocation," replied Harry Daring, with a look as grave as that of his master. But, if I can do you any service, believe me, I shall be infinitely glad on't."

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"Oh, I have the cursedest tooth that ever plagued a miserable old woman!" said she, rocking herself to and fro, and moaning worse than ever.

"In the extracting of teeth lieth my particular skilfulness, added the boy, for in that have I had such practice as would astonish you mightily to hear. Indeed I am so cunning at it that master leaveth all the tooth-drawing to me, saying, to the customers, that there be not so apt an apprentice in the whole city. Nay, I do assure you, take it as you list, I have arrived at such perfection in the art, that I could take out every tooth in your head and you shall know it not; which remindeth me of what hath been said on this subject by the learned Podalirius: fol de riddle ido, lilebullero, wriggledumfunnibus,' which, rightly translated, reads thus he that can draw a tooth without pain, must needs be in famous request of those troubled with an aching jaw.""

6

"Well, if you can talk Latin at your years, you must needs be exceeding clever," remarked the old woman," so I will let you take out my tooth, and here's a groat for you, if you promise to give me no pain in it."

"I will whip it out and you shall know nought of the matter," answered the apprentice, readily taking the money, well pleased at having so fine an opportunity for shewing off his skill. "Which be it, good dame?" enquired he, after he had got her to sit in the chair, and stood before her, looking gravely into her mouth, with the instrument in his hand.

"It be the last but two on the left side, in the under jaw," replied she. But hurt me not, I pray you.'

"Be assured I will hurt you none, if you attend to my directions," said the boy. So, hold fast by the arms of the chair, else you must needs feel the pain."

"Ah!" screamed the old woman, seemingly at the very top of her voice, as she lifted up her hands to her jaw immediately he gave a wrench.

"There, now!" cried Harry Daring, looking monstrously displeased. Did I not say you would feel pain if you held not fast to the chair? For is it not writ in Aristotle that there are two kinds of teeth, as harem scarem,' an easy tooth,' crinkum crankum,' an' obstinate tooth;' and the latter kind have you, without a doubt.” Well, well, I will be as quiet as I may," said she, putting down her hands, but looking woefully frightened. "Yet 'twas a most awful pain. Now hurt me not again, good youth, I pray you."

"Believe me I would not hurt a hair of your head, for any money, replied the apprentice, with a very touching earnestness; "but hold fast, I can promise nothing if you let go the chair."

"Oh !" shrieked the dame, louder and longer than at first; and caught hold of his hands as he was a tugging with all his might. "A murrain on you," exclaimed the boy, stamping as if in a great rage, "did ever any one see the like?" I was having it out as easily as is the drawing of a cork from a bottle of Ippocras, and without pain enough to hurt a fly, when you let go the chair, and made the pain come on the instant. 'Slife, it be enough to put a saint

in a passion; for truly is it said by Esculapius, 'Syrupus croci scrupulum dimidium, aquæ puræ quantum sufficit:' the which doth mean, -she that will let go when she be told to hold fast, deserveth all she may get for her pains."

"If it was not for the Latin, I should doubt you were so skilled as you have said," remarked his patient, very dolefully; "but the Latin be a wonderful comfort. You shall have at it once more, and for the last time; for in truth I can endure no such horrible pain as the last."

"Hold fast, then; and now or never," cried the young barber, as he put his whole might and main into one desperate tug.

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"Oh! oh! murder! Oh! Lord ha' mercy on my sins! Oh! murder! murder! murder!" screamed the old woman, with all the strength of her lungs, as she tried to hold his hands; but this time he knit his brows fiercely, and twisted at the instrument as if for his life; and in spite of the struggles and shriekings of his patient, he desisted not till he wrenched the tooth right out upon the floor. "Here it be, dame," exclaimed he, joyfully, as soon as he saw it fall, "and o' my life 'tis a famous one.' But the other seemed to think that her jaw had been torn out; for with her hands up to her face, she set a writhing and twisting her body about the room, as if she was in her last agony.

"Oh! I be a dying! my hour be come; I must needs give up the ghost!" cried she, very piteously.

"Keep a good heart-you will be well enough soon," replied he, as he was a wiping of his instrument.

"Indeed, 'twas a most awful scrunch," added his patient, looking in most deplorable fashion; " methought my head was a going clean off, and you was a pulling of it up by the roots :-but where be the tooth?"

"There, dame," he answered, pointing to where it lay; at the which she hastened to pick it up.

"Oh! you murderous villain !" shouted out the old woman, her face all of a sudden becoming livid with rage, as she looked upon the tooth: "you have pulled out the only two sound teeth I had in my head, and left the aching one in.'

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What, have I pulled out two?" exclaimed the boy, as if mightily pleased; "why, what excellent luck have I! But you must needs pay me the other groat, seeing that you bargained only for one."

"I pay thee a groat, caitiff!" cried she, in a worse rage than ever, "I'll see thee hanged first!And two such fine teeth, too, that would have lasted me a good score years. Oh! 'tis not to be borne."

"Why, thou shalt have all the less toothaches for it," said the apprentice, in a wonderful consoling voice; "I warrant they shall never ache; for is it not writ in Aristotle"

"Drat Harry's total and thee too!" screamed the other, looking as if she was about to fly at him; " I could tear thee limb from limb, fiercely as you horrible young villain."

"Nay, thou hadst best be quiet and take thyself off," observed the boy, seriously; though he took huge delight in seeing her in so towering a passion. "Indeed if thou shewest thy tearing humour to

me, I will set the dog on thee, who be famous for worrying of an old witch."

"Dost call me an old witch, thou pestilent little variet? Me an old witch!-me!"

"'Tis like enough to be true; for 'tis well known thou wert seen last Christmas eve dancing of a measure with the devil's grannum on the top of the moon.'

"I dance with the devil's grannum?—I !"

"I have spoke with those who will take their oaths of it: and moreover they do report that thou didst caper after a fashion that was a scandal to look upon."

"Oh! the horrid perjurers! But I do believe thou sayest it of thine own villainous invention :-thou wilt come to the gallows, that be one comfort."

"Away, old witch!"

"I'll live to see thee hanged, thou outrageous little villain."

"Mount thy broomstick, and be off up the chimney; for thy cousin Beelzebub be waiting for thee, with a goodly bowl of brimstone and treacle for thy supper."

"I tell thee I be an honest woman that have had children, and two of 'em be twins," squeaked out the old woman, now in such a rage she could scarcely speak.

"Ah! I have heard of thy twins," exclaimed the boy in an aggravating tone: "the midwife told her gossip, and her gossip told the neighbours.

"And what said she, thou hangdog?" cried the other, trembling in every limb with the greatness of her passion. "I do defy thee, caitiff; they were as fine twins as ever honest woman had."

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"for

Marvellous fine, truly!" replied he, in the same manner; I was told by those who had sight of them, that one of them was a three-legged stool and the other an elephant."

"Oh! thou horrid young monster! thou perjured little villain!" "Away, broomstick!"

"Thou hangdog! Thou gallows bird!”

"Out, brimstone!"

"Thou misbegotten imp of mischief! Thou-"

"The devil waiteth supper for thee. Vanish!"

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Agh!" shrieked the enraged old woman, with a violent twist of her head, as if she had exhausted all her spite; and then shaking her skinny fist at Harry Daring, she suddenly flung herself out at the door.

"Ha! ha! ha!" roared the boy, seemingly in a perfect ecstacy. "Well, if this be not the most exquisite fine fun, then know I not what fun is. But me thought this drawing of teeth would be good sport; and, if could only get to breathe a vein now, then should I be content. Ah, puss!-art there still? Well, I must needs have at thee again for lack of another customer. But I want not aught of thy teeth at present: I be only curious to know if thou hast got ever a vein."

The mischievous apprentice soon had the cat in his lap again, and after talking to her in a similar strain as at first, with a liberal sup