The Strand 1913-5 Vol_XLV №269 May mich

THE STRAND MAGAZI\\E. \" There's something you can do for me now, which will make me everlastingly grateful.\" \" Yes ? \" I said. \" Do you know, Reggie,\" she said, suddenly, \" that only a few months ago Clarence was very fond of cats ? \" \" Eh ! Well, he still seems—er—interested in them, what ? \" \" Now they get on his nerves. Every- thing gets on his nerves.\" \" Some fellows swear by that stuff you see advertised all over the— \"No, that wouldn't help him. He doesn't need to take anything. He wants to get rid of something.\" \" I don't quite follow. Get rid of something ? \" \"The'Venus,'\" said Elizabeth. She looked up and caught my bulging eye. \" You saw the ' Venus/ \" she said. \"Not that I remember.\" \" Well, come into the dining- room.\" We went into the dining-room, and she switched on the lights. \"There,\" she said. On the wall close to the door — that may have been why I hadn't noticed it before; I had sat with my back to it— was a. large oil-painting. It was what you'd call a Classical picture, I suppose. What I mean is—well, you know what I mean. All I can say is that it's funny I hadn't noticed it. \" Is that the ' Venus ' ? \" I said. She nodded. \" How would you like to have to look at that every time you sat down to a meal ? \" \" Well, I don't know. I don't think it would affect me much. I'd worry through all right.\" She -erked her head im- patiently. \" But you're not an artist,\" she said. \" Clarence is.\" And then I began to see daylight.

DOL\\G CLARENCE A BIT OF GOOD. 5*3 they apologize and go away. So I stood by to hear just how the A. T. had affected Clarence, the Cat's Friend, ready for anything. And, believe me, it had hit Clarence badly. It was this way. It seemed that old Yeardsley was an amateur artist and that this \" Venus\" was his masterpiece. He said so, and he ought to have known. Well, when Clarence married, he had given it to him as a wedding-present, and had hung it where it stood with his own hands. All right so far, what ? But mark the sequel. Tempera- mental Clarence, being a professional artist and consequently some streets ahead of the dad at the game, saw flaws in the \" Venus.\" He couldn't stand it at any price. He didn't like the drawing. He didn't like the expression of the face. He didn't like the colouring. In fact, it made him feel quite ill to look at it. Yet, being devoted to his father and wanting to do anything rather than give him pain, he had not been able to bring himself to store the thing in the cellar, and the strain of confronting the picture three times a day had begun to tell on him to such an extent that Elizabeth felt something had to be done. \" Now you see,\" she said. \" In a way,\" I said. \" But don't you think it's making rather heavy weather over a trifle ? \" \" Oh, can't you understand ? Look ! \" Her voice dropped as if she was in church, and she switched on another light. It shone on the picture next to old Yeardsley's. \" There ! \" she said. \" Clarence painted that I\" She looked at me expectantly, as if she were waiting for me to swoon, or yell, or something. I took a steady look at Clarence's effort. It was another Classical picture. It seemed to me very much like the other one. Some sort of art criticism was evidently- expected of me, so I made a dash at it. \" Er—' Venus ' ? \" I said. Mark you, Sherlock Holmes would have made the same mistake. On the evidence, I mean. \" No. ' Jocund Spring,' \" she snapped. She switched off the light. \" I see you don't understand even now. You never had any taste about pictures. When we used to go to the galleries together, you would far rather have been at your club.\" This was so absolutely true that I had no remark to make. She came up to me, and put her hand on my arm. \" I'm sorry, Reggie. I didn't mean to be cross. Only I do want to make you under- stand that Clarence is suffering. Suppose— suppose—well, let us take the case of a great musician. Suppose a great musician had to sit and listen to a cheap, vulgar tune—the same tune—day after day, day after day, wouldn't you expect his nerves to break ? Well, it's just like that with Clarence. Now do you see ? \" \" Yes, but \"

THE STRAND MAGAZINE. \"l LIT THK LANTERN I HAD TAKKN FROM BILL'S BICYCLE, TOOK A CRIP OF MY KNIFE, AND SLUNK DOWNSTAIRS.\" I don't know if you happen to be one of those Johnnies who are steeped in crime, and so forth, and think nothing of pinching diamond neck- laces. If you're not, you'll under- stand that I felt a lot less keen on the job I'd taken on when I sat in m y room, waiting to get busy, than I had done when I promised to tackle it in the dining-room. On paper it all seemed easy enough, but I couldn't help feeling there was a catch some- where, and I've never known time pass slower. The kick-off was scheduled for one o'clock in the morning, when the house- hold might be expected to be pretty sound asleep, but at a quarter to I couldn't stand it any longer. I lit the lantern I had taken from Bill's bicycle, took a grip of my knife, and slunk down- stairs. The first thing I did on getting to the dining-room was to open the window. I had half a mind to smash it, so as to give an extra bit of local colour to the affair, but decided not to on account of the noise. I had put my lantern on the table, and was just reaching out for it, when something happened. What it was for the moment I couldn't have said. It might have been an explosion of some sort or an earthquake. Some solid object caught me a frightful whack on the chin. Sparks and things occurred inside my head, and the next thing I remember is feeling something wet and cold splash into my face, and hearing a voice that sounded like old Bill's say, \" Feeling better now ? \" I sat up. The lights were on, and I was

DO1\\G CLARENCE A KIT Ob' (.00D. 585 on the floor, with old Bill kneeling beside me with a soda siphon. \" What happened ? \" I said. \" I'm awfully sorry, old man,\" he said. \" I hadn't a notion it was you. I came in here, and saw a lantern on the table and the window open and a chap with a knife in his hand, so I didn't stop to make inquiries. I just let go at his jaw for all I was worth. What on earth do you think you're doing ? Were you walking in your sleep ? \" \" It was Elizabeth,\" I said. \" Why, you know all about it. She said she had told you.\" \" You don't mean— \" The picture. You refused to take it on, so she asked me.\" \" Reggie, old man,\" he said, \" I'll never believe what they say .about repentance again. It's a fool's trick and upsets everything. If I hadn't repented, and thought it was rather rough on Elizabeth not to do a little thing like that for her, and come down here to do it after all, you a ton of bricks when you went clown just now, and it's on the cards some of the servants may have heard. Toss you who carves.\" \" Heads.\" \" Tails it is,\" he said, uncovering the coin. \" Up you get. I'll hold the light. Don't spike yourself on that sword of yours.\" It was as easy a job as Elizabeth had said. Just four quick cuts, and the thing came out of its frame like an oyster. I rolled it up. Old Bill had put the lantern on the floor and was at the sideboard, collecting whisky, soda, and glasses. \"THE NEXT THING i REMEMUER is FEELING SOMETHING COI.D'SPLASH INTO MY FACE, AND HEARING OLD BILL SAY, 'FEELING BETTER NOW?'\" wouldn't have stopped that sleep - producer with your chin. I'm sorry.\" \" Me, too,\" I said, giving my head another shake to make certain it was still on. \" Are you feeling better now ? \" \" Better than I was. But that's not saying much.\" \" Would you like some more soda-water ? No? Well, how about getting this job finished and going to bed ? And let's be quick about it too. You made a noise like Vol. xlv.-60. \" We've got a long evening before us,\" he said. \" You can't burn a picture of that size in one chunk. You'd set the chimney on fire. Let's do the thing comfortably. Clarence can't grudge us the stuff. We've done him a bit of good this trip. To-morrow'Il be the maddest, merriest day of Clarence's glad New Year. On we go.\" We went up to my room, and sat smoking and yarning away and sipping our drinks, and everv now and then cutting a slice off

586 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. the picture and shoving it in the fire till it was all gone. And what with the cosiness of it. and the cheerful blaze, and the comfort- able feeling of doing good by stealth, I don't know when I've had a jollier time since the days when we used to brew in my study at school. We had just put the last slice on when Bill sat up suddenly, and gripped my arm. \" I heard something,\" he said. I listened, and, by Jove, I heard something, too. My room was just over the dining- room, and the sound came up to us quite distinctly. Stealthy footsteps, by George ! And then a chair falling over. \" There's somebody in the dining-room,\" I whispered. There's a certain type of chap who takes a pleasure in positively chivvying trouble. Old Bill's like that. If'l had been alone, it would have taken me about three seconds to persuade myself that I hadn't really heard anything after all. I'm a peaceful sort of cove, and believe in living and letting live, and so forth. To old Bill, however, a visit from burglars was pure jam. He was out of his chair in one jump. \" Come on,\" he said. \" Bring the poker.\" I brought the tongs as well. I felt like it. Old Bill collared the knife. We crept down- stairs. \" We'll fling the door open and make a rush,\" said Bill. \" Supposing they shoot, old scout ? \" \" Burglars never shoot,\" said Bill. Which was comforting provided the burglars knew it. Old Bill took a grip of the handle, turned it quickly, and in he went. And then we pulled up sharp, staring. The room was in darkness except for a feeble splash of light at the near end. Stand- ing on a chair in front of Clarence's \" Jocund Spring,\" holding a candle in one hand and reaching up with a knife in the other, was old Mr. Yeardsley, in bedroom slippers and a grey dressing-gown. He had made a final cut just as we rushed in. Turning at the sound, he stopped, and he and the chair and the candle and the picture came down in a heap together. The candle went out. \" What on earth? \" said Bill. I felt the same. I picked up the candle and lit it, and then a most fearful thing happened. The old man picked himself up, and suddenly collapsed into a chair and began to cry like a child. Of course, I could see it was only the Artistic Temperament, but still, believe me, it was devilish unpleasant. 1 looked at old Bill. Old Bill looked at me. ' We shut the door quick, and after that we didn't know what to do. I saw Bill look at the sideboard, and I knew what he was looking for. But we had taken the siphon upstairs, and his ideas of first aid stopped short at squirting soda-water. We just waited, and presently old Yeardsley switched off, sat up, and began talking with a rush.

DOING CLARENCE A BIT OF GOOD. 587 \"HOLDING A CANDLE IN ONE. HAND, AN'I) REACHING UP WITH A KNIFE IN THE OTHER, WAS OLD MR. YEARDSLEY.\" all that sort of thing, 1 know. But I'm afraid— I mean—what ? Well, look !\" I went to the door and switched on the electric light, and there, staring him in the face, were the two empty frames. He stood goggling at them in silence. Then he gave a sort of wheezy grunt. \" The gang ! The burglars ! They have been here, and they have taken Clarence's picture !\" He paused. \" It might have been mine ! My Venus ! \" he whispered. It was getting most fearfully pain- ful, you know, but he had to know the truth. \" I'm awfully sorry, you know,\" I said. \" But it was.\" He started, poor old chap. \"Eh? What do you mean ? \" \" They did take your Venus.\" \" But I have it here.\" I shook my head. \"That's Clarence's ' Jocund Spring/ \" I said. He jumped at it and straightened it out. \" What! What are you talking about ? Do you think I don't know my own picture —my child— my Venus ? See ! My own signature in the corner. Can you read, boy ? Look : ' Matthew Yeardsley.' This is my picture ! \" And—well, by Jove ! it was, don't you know. Well, we got him off to bed, him and his infernal Venus, and we settled down to take a steady look at the position of affairs. Bill said it was my fault for getting hold of the wrong picture, and I said it was Bill's fault for fetching me such a crack on the jaw that I couldn't be expected to see what I was gettin hold of, and then there was a pretty massive silence for a bit. \" Reggie,\" said Bill, at last, \" how exactly do you feel about facing Clarence and Elizabeth at breakfast?\" \" Old scout,\" I said, \" I was think- ing much the same myself.\" \" Reggie,\" said Bill, \" I happen to know there's a milk-train leaving Midford at three-fifteen. It isn't what you'd call a flier. It gets to London at about half-past nine. Well — er — in the circumstances, how about it ? \"

TO SECURE THE EARLY RIPENING OF APPLES CUT AWAY THE BARK KKOM THK STEM AS SHOWN ABOVE. T a time when Britain is in a fair way to become a nation of gardeners, it may be of interest to introduce to the readers of THE STRAND a few novelties in which the amateur grower may engage. The early ripening of fruit is often much to be desired. With apples, pears, plums, and similar kinds this is not a difficult matter. All that is necessary is to select a branch on which the fruit is well set. On the lower part of the bough cut a ring entirely round the stem. By this means the return flow of the sap to the lower parts of the tree is in a measure prevented and the branch as a r.OOSKBKRRIF.S WILL SWELL TO AN ENORMOUS SI7.R IF THKIR TIPS ARE ALLOWED TO DIP INTO WATKK. Some Gardening Experiments. J3y S. LEONARD BASTIN. Illustrations from Photographs hy the Author. whole will be much enriched. It will be found that the fruit on this part will be remarkably fine, and, moreover, will be ripe many weeks before the usual time. No harm will result to the tree if at the next season, when the bark descends to cover up the space, the union of the two parts is assisted by the cutting of the edges clean at the point of junction. In connection with fruit-growing one may introduce a very novel plan of securing big gooseberries. Of course, this fruit contains an immense amount of water, and it is possible to bring about a very large increase in the quantity of the juice. Secure a number of tin - lids and place these round the bush, sup- porting them with bricks or inverted pots. Each little pan is to be filled with water, and the goose- berry branches pulled over so that the tips of the fruit just touch the liquid. The pans are kept regularly supplied with clean

SOME GARDENING EXPERIMENTS. 589 I'KINTINU PICTURES ON APPLES BY MEANS OK PAPER STENCILS IS A SIMPLE OPERATION. water, and the grower will be astonished at the rapidity with which the goose- berries drink up the moisture. Very soon they will reach a monstrous size, which may well be two or three times that of the fruit grown in the usual manner. For those gardeners who are fond of curiosities, there is perhaps nothing more singular than fruit photography. For this there is no subject so good as the apple. It is only necessary to prepare some paper stencils which anyone may cut out, according to his own fancy. These should be made of fairly thin paper, and may take the form of a portrait, a coat-of-arms, or other figure. The fruits which it is desired to treat should be as perfect as possible. When they are nearly mature — but before they have turned colour in any w a y— they should be en- closed in paper bags. Directly the apple has attained to its full size the stencil must be stuck with pure starch paste upon the cheek of the apple which will get the greatest amount of sun. The skin of the apple should have be- come fully red before the sten- cil is removed, when, if all has gone well, it will be seen that there is a very clear imprint standing up HOW TWO HYACINTH 11UI.BS ar,a;nst a re(j. MAY BE GROWN TOGETHER TO '.\".' , , PRODUCE UNUSUAL COLOUR aisn t> a c k- KKHECTS. ground. If the stencil should have been washed off by rain it may be pos- sible to replace it, at any rate during the early stages of the

THE STRAXD MAGAZINE. While on the subject of bulbs. it may interest those who like novelties to point out that the roots of the autumn crocus, if placed on a warm mantelshelf, will produce abundance of flowers without any soil or water whatever. The time of year for purchasing the bulbs for this treatment is about August. Some gardeners are very fond of training their plants into all sorts of designs. A standard violet is a novelty which is not really difficult to produce. Violet plants should be secured and potted in the usual manner. One runner from each plant should be selected and all side shoots of any description pinched away. The runner is trained up to a support and if only the top bud is allowed to develop this will presently break into an abundance of flower and foli- age, as shown in the photo- graph on the previous page. There are many interest- ing possibilities in cactus graft- ing. These strange plants are curiously tolerant of cut- ting, and can be fashioned into all sorts of weird shapes. The annexed illustrations CACTUS CRAFTING PRODUCES show a singular SOME VERY CURIOUS RESULTS, cactus graft, which has been produced in the following manner: The three uprights are formed of rooted portions of Pereskia, a species of cactus which is usually employed as the stock of the graft, whilst the upper portion is a piece cut from the Sea Urchin cactus. The union between the two plants is quite complete, and it is very likely that this weird specimen will flower. Any IK TUB S'IKMS OF L1LIKS - OF - THE - VALI.RY ARK IMMERSED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR IN RKD INK, THE HELLS ASSUME A DELICATE PINK SHADE. florist will supply the rooted Pereskia stocks for grafting, whilst all kinds of cacti may be em- ployed for grafting to the stocks. The only essential point to bear in mind is

CHAPTER IX. FTER the sound of that terrible shouting there came silence — that is, there was silence where the children were, but all above they could hear the rush and rustle of a quick arming. \" The war-cry of the People of the Depths/' said the Princess. \" I suppose,\" said Kathleen, forlornly, \" that if they're so near as that all is lost.\" \" Lost ? No, indeed,\" cried the Princess. \" The People of the Depths are very strong, but they are very heavy. They cannot rise up and come to us from the water above. Before they can get in they must scale the wall.\" \" But they will get over the wall—won't they ? \" \" Not while one of the Royal Halibuts still lives. The Halibuts have manned the wall; they will keep back the foe. But they won't attack yet. They'll send out their scouts and skirmishers. Till they approach, the Crus- A STORY FOR CHILDREN. By E. NESBIT. Illustrated by H. R. Millar. tacean Brigade can do nothing. It is a hard thing to watch a fight in which you may not share. I must apolo- gize for appointing you to such an unsatisfactory position.\" \" Thank you, we don't mind,\" said Cathy, hastily- \" What's that ? \" It was a solid, gleaming sheet of silver that rose above them like a great carpet—which split and tore itself into silver threads. \" It is the Sword-fish Brigade,\" said the Princess. \" We could swim up a little and watch them, if you're not afraid. You see, the first attack will probably be delivered by one of their Shark regiments. The Seventh Sharks have a horrible reputation. But our brave Sword-fish are a match for them,\" she added, proudly. The ;• word-fish, who were slowly swimming to and fro above, seemed to stiffen as though to meet some danger at present unseen by the others. Then, with a swift, silent, terrible movement, the Sharks rushed on the noble defenders of Merland. The Sword-fish with their deadly weapons were ready—and next moment all the water was a wild whirl of confused conflict. The Sharks fought with a sort of harsh, rough courage, and the children, who had drawn away to a little distance, could not help admiring their desperate onslaught. But the Sword-fish were more than their match.

592 THE STRAND MAGAZl.\\E. With more skill, and an equally desperate gallantry, they met and repulsed the savage onslaught of the Sharks. Shoals of large, calm Cod swept up from the depths, and began to shoulder the dead Sharks sideways towards the water above the walls—the dead Sharks and, alas ! many a brave, dead Sword-fish, too. For the victory had not been a cheap one. The children could not help cheering as the victorious Sword-fish re-formed. \" Pursuit is unnecessary,\" said the Prin- cess. \" The Sharks have lost too heavily to resume the attack.\" A Shark in terror-stricken retreat passed close by her, and she clipped its tail with her oyster-shell. The Shark turned savagely, but the Princess with one tailswish was out of danger, pushing the children before her outspread arms, and the Shark began to sink, still making vain efforts to pursue them. \" The shell will drag him down,\" said the Princess; \" and now I must go and get a fresh shield. I wish I knew where the next attack would be delivered.\" They sank slowly through the water. \" I wonder where Reuben is ? \" said Bernard. \" Oh, he's quite safe,\" said the Princess. \" The Boy Scouts don't go outside the walls— they just do a good turn for anybody who wants it, you know—and help the kind Soles to look after the wounded.\" They had reached the great flooded garden again and turned towards the Palace, and as they went a Sea-urchin shell suddenly rose from behind one of the clipped hedges— a Sea-urchin's shell and behind it a long tail. The shell was raised, and the face under it was Reuben's. \" Hi, Princess ! \" he shouted. \" I've been looking for you everywhere. We've been scouting. I got a lot of seaweed, and they thought I was nothing but seaweed; and so I got quite close to the enemy.\" \" It was very rash,\" said the Princess, severely. \" The others don't think so,\" he said, a little hurt. \" They began by saying I was only an irregular Sea-urchin, because I've got this jolly tail\" —he gave it a merry wag—\"and they called me Spatangus, and names like that. But they've made me their General now—General Echinus. I'm a regular now, and no mistake, and what I was going to say is the enemy is going to attack the North Tower in force in half an hour.\" \" You good boy,\" said the Princess. I do believe if it hadn't been for his Sea-urchin's uniform she would have kissed him. \" You're splendid. You're a hero. If you could do it safely—there's heaps of seaweed—could you find out if there's any danger from the Book People ? You know—the ones in the cave. It's always been our fear that they might attack, too—and if they did—well, I'd rather be the slave of a shark than of Mrs. Fairchild.\" She gathered an armful of

WET MAGIC. 593 wall is only about ten feet high, but it goes down on the other side for forty feet or more. It is built on a hill. Now, I don't want you to feel obliged to come out and fight. You can stay inside and get the shields ready for us to take. We shall keep on rushing back for fresh weapons. Of course the tunnel's much too narrow for the Underfolk to get in, but they have their regiment of highly-trained Sea- serpents, who, of course, can make them- selves thin and worm through anything.\" \" Cathy doesn't like serpents,\" said Mavis, anxiously. \" You needn't be afraid,\" said the Princess. \" They're dreadful cowards. They know the passage is guarded by our Lobsters. They won't come within a mile of the entrance. But the main body of the enemy will have to pass \"THE PRINCESS LED THK WAY TO ONE OF THOSE LITTLE BUILDINGS, LIKK TEMPLES OF FLORA.\" quite close. There's a great sea mountain, and the only way to our North Tower is in the narrow ravine between that mountain and Merland.\" Vol. xlv.-61. The tunnel ended in a large rocky hall with the armoury, hung with ten thousand gleaming shields on the one side, and the guard - room crowded with enthusiastic Lobsters on the other. The entrance from the sea was a short, narrow passage, in which stood two Lobsters in their beautiful dark coats of mail. Since the moment when the blue sky that looked f rst so like sky and then so like painted tin had, touched, confessed itself to be a bubble—confessed, too, in the most practical way, by bursting and letting the water into Merland—the children had been carried along by the breathless rush of pre- parations for the invasion, and the world they were now in had rapidly increased in reality, while their own world, in which till to-day they had always lived, had been losing reality at exactly the same rate as that by which the new world gained it. So it was that when the Princess said :— \" You needn't go out and attack the enemy unless you like,\" they all answered, in some astonishment :—

594 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. \" But we want to.\" \" That's all right,\" said the Princess. \" I only wanted to see if they were in working order.\" \" If what were ? \" \" Your coats. They're coats of valour, of course.\" \" I think I could be brave without a coat,\" said Bernard and began to undo his pearl- buttons. \" Of course you could.\" said the Princess. \" In fact, you must be brave to begin with, or the coat couldn't wort; It would be no good to a coward. It just keeps your natural valour warm and your wits cool.\" \" It makes you braver,\" said Kathleen, suddenly. \" At least I hope it's me—but I expect it's the coat. Anyhow, I'm glad it does. Because I do want to be brave. Oh, Princess ! \" \" Well ? \" said the Princess, gravely but not unkindly, \" what is it ? \" Kathleen stood a moment, her hands twisting in each other and her eyes downcast. Then in an instant she had unbuttoned and pulled off her coat of pearly-mail and thrown it at the Princess's feet. \" I'll do it without the coat\" she said, and drew a long breath. The others looked on in silence, longing to help her, but knowing that no one could help her now but herself. \" It was Me,\" said Kathleen, suddenly, and let go a deep breath of relief. \" It was me that touched the sky and let in the water ; but I am most frightfully sorry, and I know you'll never forgive me. But \" \" Quick,\" said the Princess, picking up the coat, \" get into your armour ; it'll prevent your crying.\" She hustled Kathleen into the coat and kept her arms round her. \" Brave girl,\" she whispered. \" I'm glad you did it without the coat.\" The other three thought it polite to turn away. \" Of course,\" the Princess added, \" I knew— but you didn't know I knew.\" \" How did you know ? \" said Kathleen. \" By your eyes,\" said the Princess, with one last hug; \" they're quite different now. Come, let us go to the gate and see if any of our scouts are signalling.\" The two Lobster sentries presented claws as the Princess passed with her Staff through the narrow arch and on to the sandy plain of the sea-bottom. The children were astonished to find that they could see quite a long way through the water—as far as they could have seen in air, and the view was very like one kind of land view. First the smooth flat sand dotted with copses of branching seaweed—then woods of taller tree-like weeds with rocks shelving up and up to a tall, rocky mountain. This mountain sent out a spur then ran along beside the Mer-Kingdom and joined the rock behind it; and it was along the narrow gorge so formed that the Underfolk were expected to advance. There were balls of seaweed floating in the

WET MAGIC. 595 \" Isn't it she asked. \" Yes, your High- ness,\" the Lobster cap- tain answered, \" but it's impertinent.\" \" I am the best judge of that,\" said the Princess, gently ; \" re- member these are noble volunteers, who are fighting for us of their o\\vn free will.\" The Lobster saluted and was silent. \" I cannot send the Lobsters,\" said the Princess,\" we need them to protect the gate. But the Crabs— \" Ah, Highness, let us go,\" pleaded the Lobster captain. \" The Crabs cannot keep the gate,\" said the Princess, kindly. \" You know they are not narrow enough. Francis, will you be my aide-de-camp and take a message to the Queen ? \" \" May I go, too ? \" asked Mavis. \" Yes. But we must deliver a double \"SHE HUSTLED KATIII.EKN INTO THE COAT.\" assault. If the Crabs attack the horses, who will deal with the riders ? \" \" I have an idea about that, too,\" said Reuben. \" If we could have some good heavy shoving regi- ment—and someone sharp to finish them off. The Sword-fish, perhaps ? \" \" You are a born gene- ral,\" the Princess said ; \" but you don't quite know our resources. The United Narwhals can do the shoving, as you call it— and their horns are sharp and heavy. Now \"—she took a smooth white chalk- stone from the sea-floor, and a ready Lobster brought her a sharpened haddock- bone. She wrote quickly, scratching the letters deep on the chalk. \" Here,\" she said, \" take this to the Queen. You will find her at Headquarters at the Palace-yard. Tell her everything. I have only asked for the two regiments ; you must explain the rest. I don't suppose there'll be any difficulty in getting through

596 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. our lines, but, if there should be, the pass- word is ' Glory ' and the countersign is ' or death.' And hurry, hurry, hurry for your lives !\" Never before had Mavis and Francis felt anything like the glow of excitement and importance which warmed them as they went up the long tunnel to take the message to the Queen. \" But where is the Palace ? \" Mavis said, and they stopped, looking at each other. \" I'll show you, please,\" said a little voice behind them. They turned quickly to find a small, spruce, gentlemanly Mackerel at their heels. \" I'm one of the guides.\" it said. \" I felt sure you'd need me. This way, sir, please,\" and it led the way across the gardens in and out of the clumps of trees and between the seaweed hedges till they came to the Palace. Rows and rows of soldiers surrounded it, all waiting impatiently for the word of command that should send them to meet the enemies of their country. \" Glory \" said the gentlemanly Mackerel, as he passed the outposts. \" Or death,\" replied the sentinel Sea- bream. The Queen was in the courtyard, in which the children had received their ovation—so short a time ago, and yet how long it seemed. Then the courtyard had been a scene of the calm and charming gaiety of a nation at peace ; now it was full of the ardent, intense activity of waiting warriors. The Queen in her gleaming coral armour met them as the password opened a way to her through the close-packed ranks of the soldiers. She took the stone and read it, and with true royal kindness she found time, even at such a moment, for a word of thanks to the messengers. \" See the Narwhals start,\" she added, \" and then back to your posts with all speed. Tell your commanding officer that so far the Book People have made no sign, but the golden gate is strongly defended by the King's Own Cod—and \" \" I didn't know there was a King,\" said Francis. The Queen looked stern, and the Mackerel guide jerked Francis's magic coat-tail warn- ingly and whispered \" Huch ! \" \" The King,\" said the Queen, quietly, \" is no more. He was lost at sea.\" When the splendid, steady column of Narwhals had marched off to its appointed place the children bowed to the Queen and went back to their posts. \" I'm sorry I said anything.\" said Francis, to the Mackerel, \" but / didn't know. Besides, how can a Mer-King be lost at sea ? \" \" Aren't your Kings lost on land ? \" asked the Mackerel, \" or, if not Kings, men quite as good ? What about explorers ? \" \" I see,\" said Mavis; \" and doesn't anyone know what has become of him ? \" \" No,\" said the Mackerel ; \" he has been lost for a very long time. We fear the worst.

II 'ET MAGIC. 597 \"TUB KNEMY'S HEAVY CAVALRY WERK MOVING IN A SOLID MASS TOWARDS MERLAND.\" The enemy's heavy cavalry were moving in a solid mass towards Merland—the great Sea-horses, twenty feet long, and their great riders, who must have been eight or ten feet high, came more and more quickly, heading to the ravine. The riders were the most terrible beings the children had ever seen. Clothed from head to feet in closely-fitting scales, with large heads, large ears, large mouths, and blunt noses and large, blind- looking eyes, they sat each erect on his armoured steed, the long harpoons swaying lightly in their enormous hands. The Sea-horses quickened their pace— and a noise like a hoarse trumpet rang out. \" They are sounding the charge,\" said the Princess ; and as she spoke they charged at the ravine, in a determined, furious onrush. \" Oh, no one can stand up against that— they can't,\" said Kathie. in despair. From the window they could see right down on to the amphitheatre, where the Narwhals were concealed. On came the Sea Cavalry—so far unre- sisted—but as they neared the ambush bunches of seaweed drifted in the faces of the riders. They floundered and strove to push away the clinging stuff—and as they strove the Narwhals made their sortie— drove their weight against the riders and hurled them from their horses, and from the cover of the rocks the Crabs advanced with an incredible speed and caught the tails of the Sea-horses in their inexorable claws. The riders lay on the ground. The horses were rearing and prancing with fear and pain as the clouds of seaweed, each with a prickly Sea-urchin in it, flung themselves against their faces. The riders stood up, fighting to the last; but the harpoons were no match for the Narwhals' horns. \" Come away,\" said the Princess. Already the Sea-horses, urged by the enormous Crabs, were retreating in the wildest disorder, pursued by Narwhals and harassed by Sea-urchins. The Princess and the children went back to the Lobster sentries. \" Repulsed,\" said the Princess, \" with heavy loss \"—and the Lobsters cheered. \" How's that Princess ? \" said a ball of seaweed, uncurling itself at the gate and presenting the familiar features of Reuben. \" How is it ? she said, \" it is Victory. And we owe it to you. But you're wounded ? \" \" Only a scratch,\" said Reuben ; \" har- poon just missed me.\" \" Oh, Reuben, you are a hero,\" said Kathie. \" Get along, you silly,\" he answered, gracefully. (To be continued.)

PERPLEXITIES. \\Vith Some Easy Puzzles for Beginners. By Henry E. Dudeney. 138.- DRAW1XG A SPIRAL. IF you hold the page horizontally and give it a quick rotary motion while looking at the centre of the spiral, it will appear to revolve. 1'erhaps a good many readers are acquainted with this little optical illusion. But the puzzle is to show how I was able to draw this spiral with so much exactitude without using anything but a pair of compasses and the sheet of paper on which the diagram was made. How would you proceed in such circumstances ? 139.—A CHARADE. MY first is a number, my second another. And end), I assure you, will rhyme \\\\ith the other. My first, you will find, is one-fifth of my second, And truly my -.chole a long period reckoned. Yet my first and my second (nay, think not I rozen), When added together, will make but two dozen. Solutions to Last Month's Puzzles. 134.—ROUND THE COAST. HERE is a puzzle that will, I think, be found as amusing as instructive. \\\\e are given a ring of eight circles. Leaving circle 8 blank, we are required to write in the name of a seven-lettered port in the United Kingdom in this manner. Touch a blank circle with your i>encil, then jump over two circles in either directioh round the ring, and write down the first letter. Then touch another vacant circle, jump over two circles, and write down your second letter. Proceed similarly with the other letters in their pro[>er order until you have completed the word. Thus, suppose we select \" Glasgow,\" and proceed as follows : 6—i, 7—2, 8—3, 7—4, 8—5, which means that we touch 6, jump over 7 and 8, and write down \" 0 \",on i : then touch 7, jump over 8 and i, and write down \" 1 \" on 2 ; and so on. It will be found that after we have written down the first five letters—\" Glasg \"—• as above, we cannot go any farther. Either there is something wrong with \" Glasgow,\" or we have not managed our jumps properly. Can you get to the bottom of the mystery ? 135.—THE MAGIC HEXAGON. IN the illustra- tion it will be seen how we have arranged the numbers i to 19 so that all the twelve lines of three add up 23.

CURIOSITIES. \\\\Ve shall tit glad to receive Contributions to this section, and to pay for suck as are accepted.] REMARKABLE GOLFING INCIDENT. WHILE playing in a match on the Welbeck Golf Links last February, I drove a ball from the eighteenth tee into a tree about thirty yards away, with the result that it was pierced by a thorn in the remarkable wav here shown. As will be seen, the thorn was driven clean through the outer cover of the ball and emerged unbroken. Such an incident is, I think, sufficiently uncommon to be placed on record.—Mr. W. N. Malthouse, Welbeck Abbey, near Worksop. inch and a half in height and three-quarters of an inch across the seat. The size can be seen by comparison with the matchbox. Each piece is fastened into a tiny groove. It was made by a lady who has been bed- ridden for many years.—J. M., Lausanne, Swit- zerland. MADE FROM MATCHES. THIS little chair is carved entirely from ordinary- matches with a small penknife. It measures an REMARKABLE TEST OF AUTOMOBILE'S PULLING-POWER. T)ROBABLY no more remarkable feat has been YT recently performed by an automobile than that shown in the accompanying illustration. The local agent of a well- known car in Los Angeles, California, gave a demonstration of the pulling strength of his machine by attaching it, by means of a rope running from the rear axle of the car to the pilot of a hundred-and-ten-ton locomotive, and draw- ing the locomotive along the track. The start was made from a dead standstill, and it was at first thought impossible to move the great mass of iron and steel, as the wheels of the car slipped badly and the locomotive seemed to be glued to the track. After weighting the car with six good - sized men

6oo THE STRAND MAGAZINE. however, the tyres took a firmer hold, and after a long, steady strain the wheels of the engine began to revolve slowly. The ac- complishment of the task is testified to by a number of witnesses, who at first declared it impossible, and looked for the breaking of the rear axle or the pull- ing out of the entire end of the car. The engine was got under way, however, and drawn for some distance down the track without injury to the automobile in any way.—Mr. Robert H. Moullon, Room L, Board of Trade, Chicago, Illinois. STEEL BALLS OPERATE A CHRONOMETER. A REMARKABLE specimen of the clockmaker's art is the chronometer here shown, which is operated by steel balls and regulated by the ordinary type of pendu- lum and escapement. Forty little spheres of metal are used, and the balance <f the works is so delicate that the re- moval of only three of them will cause a notice- able loss of time, while if four balls are removed the chronometer w ill stop. The cperation is clearly shown in the photograph. The balls drop from the top of an elevator, on the plan of an endless chain of buckets, upon a rim of small compartments that surrounds the face of the clock. The weight of the balls on one side causes the hands to move. Arriv- ing at the lower part of the rim, the halls drop into a runway that leads them to the elevator, whence they are conveyed to the top and the ope- ration is repeated. One ball drops every minute. —Mr. C. L. Edholm, 4,624, Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, Cal., U.S.A. Double Dummy Bridge Problem. BY W. II. WHITFELD. Hearts—Knnve, 4. Clubs-Queen. Diamonds—Ace, queen, 6, 3. Hearts—10.

THE SCOTT POLAR EXPEDITION. \\A/E HAVE MUCH PLEASURE IN ANNOUNCING THAT THE COMPLETE, FULLY- ILLUSTRATED STORY OF THE SPLENDID HEROISM OF CAPTAIN SCOTT AND HIS COM- PANIONS, THE BRITISH RIGHTS OF WHICH HAVE BEEN SECURED EX- CLUSIVELY FOR THIS MAGAZINE, WILL COMMENCE IN THE JULY NUMBER.