From the venerable appearance of the brass plate I had expected to see a rather elderly dentist, with possibly white hair and certainly spectacles; so I was rather taken aback when a dapper young fellow, who seemed about the age of "Master SAMMY," entered the waiting-room. The juvenile new-comer made himself master of the situation. He seized upon the jaw of poor trembling GEORGE LEWIS BOLTON ROLLIT, and declared that "it must come out." "He'd better have gas," he observed. "But as I am full of engagements this morning, you really must let me fix a time." Then he took out a pocket-book which I could not help noticing contained such items as "Soda-water--3_s._," "Washing--5_s._," and "Church collection--6_d._," and placed our name and time amidst the other entries. We kept our appointment. The buttons was in a state of excitement. Mr. LEO ARMSTRONG received us, and pointed to the gas apparatus with an air of triumph, as if he had had some difficulty in getting it entrusted to him in consequence of his youth. Then "Master SAMMY" made his appearance. He was going to administer the gas. It was a pleasant family party, and I felt quite parental. Had it not been for poor GEORGE LEWIS BOLTON ROLLIT'S swollen face, I should have said to Mr. LEO ARMSTRONG, "Master SAMMY," my boy, and the buttons, "Here, lads, let us make a day of it. I will take you all to Madame TUSSAUD'S and the Zoological Gardens." "You have had the gas, haven't you?" said "Master SAMMY," who had been fumbling with the apparatus. "How do you put it on?" Poor GEORGE LEWIS BOLTON ROLLIT, under protest, described the _modus operandi_. Then the mouth was opened, and "Master SAMMY" applied the gas. I am sorry to say he performed the operation rather clumsily, and my poor lad never "went off." GEORGE LEWIS BOLTON ROLLIT subsequently described every detail of the performance, and said that he had suffered excruciating pain. Then Mr. LEO ARMSTRONG went to work, and, after several struggles, got out a bit of tooth, and then another. Then GEORGE LEWIS BOLTON ROLLIT came to himself, and the usual comforts were supplied to him. "I think there's a bit of the tooth still in the gum," said Mr. LEO ARMSTRONG; and then, after a pause, with the air of Jack Horner pulling out a plum, he produced an immense pair of forceps from the instrument drawer. "There." he added, triumphantly, as he exhibited another piece of ivory, "I told you so!" GEORGE LEWIS BOLTON ROLLIT had now sufficiently recovered to complain bitterly of the pain he had suffered. "Impossible," I observed; "remember this is _painless_ dentistry."