"_Mais non! le droit, M'sieur._"

Here was a deadlock indeed. It was an English ship, therefore the
English rule of the road should be maintained. On the other hand, the
fact that we were still in French waters was in his favour. But my
stubborn British will would not give way, and Heaven knows how long
we should have remained there had not one of the invalids grunted,
"Caan't thee keep t' the rule o' the waater?" and I saw a dignified
way out of the difficulty. I withdrew to the right, and we passed on
with no animosity towards one another. Still, it was a near thing for
the Entente.

* * * * *

"The unfortunate lady was examining an unloaded pistol when it
went off and caused instantaneous death."--_Times of Ceylon_.

In the circumstances we trust we are justified in thinking this tragic
intelligence to be the result of a false report.

* * * * *

THE NEW GAME.

If Hubbard were not my friend I should describe him as one of the most
amiable and most muddle-headed of mankind. Under the influence of his
mind things that are quite clear become confused and lose themselves
in long vistas of statement and sub-statement and sub-sub-statement,
and a plain tale is darkened until at the end nothing is left of what
it originally was. If you don't believe me listen to what follows.