CK AND RAILS. Also there are certain minorobjects--tin ships, Easter eggs, and the like--of which I shall makeincidental mention, that like the kiwi and the duck-billed platypusrefuse to be classified.

These we arrange and rearrange in various ways upon our floor, making aworld of them. In doing so we have found out all sorts of pleasantfacts, and also many undesirable possibilities; and very probably ourexperience will help a reader here and there to the former and save himfrom the latter. For instance, our planks and boards, and what one cando with them, have been a great discovery. Lots of boys and girls seemto be quite without planks and boards at all, and there is no regulartrade in them. The toyshops, we found, did not keep anything of the kindwe wanted, and our boards, which we had to get made by a carpenter, arethe basis of half the games we play. The planks and boards we have areof various sizes. We began with three of two yards by one; they weremade with cross pieces like small door

ssed the bottomof the High Street, he came opposite to one of the many tavernswhich looked out upon the river. In the open bay window satmerchants and gentlemen, discoursing over their afternoon's draughtof sack; and outside the door was gathered a group of sailors,listening earnestly to some one who stood in the midst. The boy,all alive for any sea-news, must needs go up to them, and take hisplace among the sailor-lads who were peeping and whispering underthe elbows of the men; and so came in for the following speech,delivered in a loud bold voice, with a strong Devonshire accent,and a fair sprinkling of oaths.

"If you don't believe me, go and see, or stay here and grow allover blue mould. I tell you, as I am a gentleman, I saw it withthese eyes, and so did Salvation Yeo there, through a window in thelower room; and we measured the heap, as I am a christened man,seventy foot long, ten foot broad, and twelve foot high, of silverbars, and each bar between a thirty and forty pound weight.

aid. "But you better untie me. Somebody's liable to stick their nose in and get me killed."

"I'll take the chance. How do we get to the casino?"

"We follow this street. It twists around and goes under a couple tunnels. When we get to the Drunkard's Stairs we go up and it's right in front of us. A pink front with a sign like a big Luck Wheel."

"Give me your belt, Magnan," Retief said.

Magnan handed it over.

"Lie down, Illy," Retief said.

The servant looked at Retief.

"Vug and Toscin will be glad to see me," he said. "But they'll never believe me." He lay down. Retief strapped his feet together and stuffed a handkerchief in his mouth.

"Why are you doing that?" Magnan asked. "We need him."

"We know the way. And we don't need anyone to announce our arrival. It's only on three-dee that you can march a man through a gang of his pals with a finger in his back."

Magnan looked at the man. "Maybe you'd better, uh, cut his throat," he said.

Ill

steps outside, across a paved court, through the brazen gates, along half-roused streets where people were opening their shops, through the huge gates of the city, and out into the wide road vanishing northwards--the princess struggling and screaming all the time, and the wise woman holding her tight. When at length she was too tired to struggle or scream any more, the wise woman unfolded her cloak and set her down, and the princess saw the light and opened her swollen eyelids. There was nothing in sight that she had ever seen before! City and palace had disappeared. They were upon a wide road going straight on, with a ditch on each side of it, that, behind them, widened into the great moat surrounding the city. She cast up a terrified look into the wise woman's face that gazed down upon her gravely and kindly. Now the princess did not in the least understand kindness. She always took it for a sign either of partiality or fear. So when the wise woman looked kindly upon her, she rushed at her, butting with her

f shirking the hard work of the world, and at the same time delight in the many-sided beauty of life. With soul of flame and temper of steel we must act as our coolest judgment bids us. We must exercise the largest charity towards the wrong-doer that is compatible with relentless war against the wrong-doing. We must be just to others, generous to others, and yet we must realize that it is a shameful and a wicked thing not to withstand oppression with high heart and ready hand. With gentleness and tenderness there must go dauntless bravery and grim acceptance of labor and hardship and peril. All for each, and each for all, is a good motto; but only on condition that each works with might and main to so maintain himself as not to be a burden to others.

We of the great modern democracies must strive unceasingly to make our several countries lands in which a poor man who works hard can live comfortably and honestly, and in which a rich man cannot live dishonestly nor in slothful avoidance of duty; and yet

es. You have matches and a revolver?"

He nodded, quietly showing me first the one, then the other; then with a sheepish air which he endeavored to carry of with a laugh, he cried:

"Have you use for 'em? If so, I'm quite willing, to part with 'em for a half-hour."

I was more than amazed at this evidence of weakness in one I had always considered as tough and impenetrable as flint rock. Thrusting back the hand with which he had half drawn into view the weapon I had mentioned, I put on my sternest sir and led the way across the street. As I did so, tossed back the words:

"We may come upon a gang. You do not wish me to face some half-dozen men alone?"

"You won't find any half-dozen men there," was his muttered reply. Nevertheless he followed me, though with less spirit than I liked, considering that my own manner was in a measure assumed and that I was not without sympathy - well, let me, say, for a dog who preferred howling a dismal accompaniment to his master's music, to keepi

was more astonished than I when it passed beyond the narrowcircle for which it had originally been intended.

My mind made up on this point, I enquired of a leading Melbournebookseller what style of book he sold most of He replied that thedetective stories of Gaboriau had a large sale; and as, at this time, Ihad never even heard of this author, I bought all his works--eleven orthereabouts--and read them carefully. The style of these storiesattracted me, and I determined to write a book of the same class;containing a mystery, a murder, and a description of low life inMelbourne. This was the origin of the "Cab." The central idea i.e. themurder in a cab--came to me while driving at a late hour to St. Kilda,a suburb of Melbourne; but it took some time and much thought to workit out to a logical conclusion. I was two months sketching outthe skeleton of the novel, but even so, when I had written it, theresult proved unsatisfactory, for I found I had not sufficiently wellconcealed the mystery upon wh

Slinkton. There he was, standing before the fire, with good large eyes and an open expression of face; but still (I thought) requiring everybody to come at him by the prepared way he offered, and by no other.

I noticed him ask my friend to introduce him to Mr. Sampson, and my friend did so. Mr. Slinkton was very happy to see me. Not too happy; there was no over-doing of the matter; happy in a thoroughly well-bred, perfectly unmeaning way.

'I thought you had met,' our host observed.

'No,' said Mr. Slinkton. 'I did look in at Mr. Sampson's office, on your recommendation; but I really did not feel justified in troubling Mr. Sampson himself, on a point in the everyday, routine of an ordinary clerk.'

I said I should have been glad to show him any attention on our friend's introduction.

'I am sure of that,' said he, 'and am much obliged. At another time, perhaps, I may be less delicate. Only, however, if I have real business; for I know, Mr. Sampson, how precious business time is,

And that was a tame one he had of his own,

Whose death would be deeply deplored.

The Beaver, who happened to hear the remark,

Protested, with tears in its eyes,
That not even the rapture of hunting the Snark

Could atone for that dismal surprise!

It strongly advised that the Butcher should be

Conveyed in a separate ship:
But the Bellman declared that would never agree

With the plans he had made for the trip:

Navigation was always a difficult art,

Though with only one ship and one bell:
And he feared he must really decline, for his part,

Undertaking another as well.

The Beaver's best course was, no doubt, to procure

A second-hand dagger-proof coat--
So the Baker advised it-- and next, to insure

Its life in some Office of note:

This the Banker suggested, and offered for hire

(On moderate terms), or for sale,
Two excellent Policies, one Against Fire,

And one Against Damage From Hail.