"She couldn't play that on me, sir, and I made her dub up the other eighteen pence, and she told me to get out of the house, and let you know that you were no gentleman. You see, she was mad because I tumbled to her little game." The doctor's eyes flashed fire, and his cork leg seemed to quiver with indignation. "You rascal!" he exclaimed. "Do you want to ruin me? Have you no knowledge of the usages of good society? Does a gentleman ever expect a lady to pay for the presents he makes her?" "I did my best, sir." "Did your worst, you mean. Sit in that chair while I get the leeches." Tommy sank into the chair, and Dr. Slasher tied a piece of rope round him, which rendered it impossible for him to move. In a glass vase were kept the leeches, a couple of which the doctor took out, putting one on each of the boy's cheeks. Their clammy feel caused a thrill of horror to run through his frame, which increased when he felt a puncture of the skin. The leeches were at their work, and drinking his blood. "Oh, sir, take them off!" he screamed. "They'll kill me! They'll drain me dry, and I shall go about like a walking skeleton." "They like boys' blood," the doctor remarked. "It seems to agree with them." "Oh, sir, please, sir, take the beastly things away," pleaded Tommy. The doctor was determined, and Tommy's pleadings did not move him in the least, so the leeches continued to suck until they were thoroughly gorged, when they dropped off and were carefully replaced in their vases. "Now," said the doctor, "I shall expect you to be a smarter boy after this, for I have been at considerable pains to extract the bad blood from you." Tommy was untied, and rubbing his cheeks, ran downstairs to find Bobsey, and get him to condole with him. He found Bobsey sitting by the stove, all by himself. There was no other servant, as Miss Minks did all the work. "What's up?" inquired Bobsey. Tommy related what had happened. "Oh, my heyes!" said Bobsey, "ain't that a shame! I never 'eard of such a rig as that." "I'll be revenged." "What'll yer do?" "There's a big auger in the cellar, and I'll bore holes in the surgery floor, so that old Slasher will stick his leg in one. I'll have a big stone in the room underneath, and I'll fasten the stone to his leg so he can't move. That'll be bully." "First-rate," replied Bobsey. "Then," continued Tommy, warming with his subject, "I'll get a lancet and stab him all over. I'll physic him with a dose of salts and----" "'Old on," interrupted Bobsey. "S'pose he takes and sacks you?" "I won't let him loose till he promises to forgive me." "You'll do, young one," Bobsey said. "I don't want to offend you." Tommy was as good as his word, for he worked hard that night with the auger, and made at least a dozen holes in various parts of the surgery floor. The next day Dr. Slasher had occasion to find fault with Tommy, who was not making the pills the proper shape.