There was no other carriage to be had in a hurry.

And at last he allowed me to get an arm-chair rigged with a couple of poles for bearers, and placed himself in it--not before he had taken the precaution of slinging a bottle of pale ale to either pole of his equipage.

He wore a very wide-brimmed straw hat, a suit of professional black, and carried a large white sunshade.

And thus accoutred, and accompanied by four stalwart bearers, he started, while I ran by the side of the chair, as queer-looking a party as can well be imagined.

I can see it all now; and should have been highly amused at the time had I not very strongly suspected that I was taking him to the bedside of a dying man.
And when he reached his patient, a very few minutes sufficed for the old surgeon to pronounce the case an absolutely hopeless one.