A little son and daughter of Mr. H. were amusing themselves, meantime, by a game at "hide-and-seek," and the former, having "played out" all the legitimate hiding-places, bethought himself of the top of a high secretary in the "banqueting-room." Action followed thought, and, climbing upon a chair-back, he gained the dusty elevation, where he quietly seated himself just as the three wise Æsculapians entered the apartment. His only safety from discovery was to keep quiet.
Corks were drawn, supper was discussed, and conversation flowed merrily along. The weather, the news of the day, and the political crisis were discoursed, and the little fellow perched high on the secretary wondered when and what they would decide on his father's case. Nearly an hour had passed, the doctors were merry, and the boy was tired; but still the little urchin kept his position.
"Well, Dr. A., how is practice here, in general?" inquired one of the counsel.
"Dull; distressingly healthy. Why, if there don't come a windfall in shape of an epidemic this fall, I shall _fall_ short for provender for my horse and bread for my family. How is it with you?"
"O, quite the reverse from you. I have alive twenty daily patients now."
"Very sick, any of them?" asked the local physician.
"No, no,--a little more wine, doctor,--some old women, whom any smart man can make think they are sick; some stout men, whom medicine will keep as patients when once under the weather; and silly girls, whom flattery will always bring again,--ha! ha!" and so saying he gulped down the wine.
"What, so late!" exclaimed one counsellor, looking at his gold repeater.
"We must go or we'll miss the return train," remarked the other; "the doctor here will manage the patient H., who's only got the _hypo_ badly," he added.
"Is that a bust of Pallas he has over his secretary yonder?" asked the first, discovering the boy for the first time.
"I'm afraid Dr. ---- has got a little muddled over this excellent 'Old Port,' that he can't see clearly. Why, that's a bust of _Cupid_."
"Well," exclaimed the local physician, "I have been here a hundred times, and never before observed that statue; but," eying the statue fixedly, he continued, "it looks neither like Pallas nor Cupid, but rather favors H., and I guess it is a cast he has had recently made of himself."