"If a fellow is too much on the medical report for trouble with his teeth, then it makes the surgeons look his mouth over with all the more caution, and in the end a fellow may get dropped from the brigade just because he has invited over zeal from the dentist.

But what has all this to do with opium smoking ?" "Just this," replied Pennington, hanging his head.

"I went into a drug store and asked a clerk that I know what was the best thing for toothache.

He told me the best he knew was to smoke a pipe of opium, and told me where to find Chow Hop, and what to say to the chink.

And it's all a lie about opium helping a sore tooth," cried the wretched midshipman, clapping a hand to his jaw, "for there goes that fiendish tooth again! But say! You fellows are not going to leak about my little mishap ?" "No," replied Darrin with great promptness.