He took it out gravely, opened it, and all crowded nearer to see. It was a large one of shining steel.
“Did you ebber see anyt’ing like dis afore?” he asked of Running Water.
The chief shook his head solemnly, and gazed with awe at the mysterious implement.
“It’s a screwemcorkibus!”
“Ugh! Good!”
“It draws out de sickness, sah. Make de boy sot down, an’ you all keep berry still, an’ I show you.”
Joe said this very gravely, and his orders being promptly obeyed, he approached the alarmed lad and slowly introduced the end of the corkscrew into one of his ears, and turned it around several times, being careful to inflict no wound.
Then removing it, he affected to examine the spiral part very carefully—wiped it—pronounced it all right, and repeated the operation on the other ear, the savages manifesting the profoundest interest, and fairly holding their breath in order to preserve the strict silence which had been enjoined.
“Dat ’ar is all,” said Congo solemnly. “I hab drawn de feber out ob one ear, and de agur out ob de oder. In two days de boy will be well, sah. He won’t nebber shake ag’in after dat.”