Tell him what you tried on shore.
I'll go with you, if you want." "Will you, old man?
I'll be a thousand times obliged!" So the pair went off in search of the sick-bay, as the hospital part of a battleship is called.

The surgeon was not in his office adjoining, but the hospital steward called him over one of the ship telephones, informing him that a midshipman was suffering with an ulcerated tooth.
Dr.Mackenzie came at once, turned on a reflector light, and gazed into Midshipman Pennington's mouth.
"Have you tried to treat this tooth yourself, in any way ?" queried the ship's surgeon.
"Yes, sir; I was so crazy with the pain, while in Annapolis, that I am afraid I did something that will get me into trouble," replied Pennington, with a quiver in his voice.
"What was that ?" asked Dr.Mackenzie, glancing at him sharply.

"Did you try the aid of liquor ?" "Worse, I'm afraid, sir." "Worse ?" Pennington told of his experience with the opium pipe.
"That's no good whatever for a toothache, sir," growled Dr.Mackenzie.
"Besides, it's a serious breach of discipline.

I shall have to report you, Mr.Pennington." "I expected it, sir," replied Pennington meekly.
"However, the report won't cure your toothache," continued Dr.Mackenzie in a milder tone.

"We'll attend to that first." The surgeon busied himself with dissolving a drug in a small quantity of water.