the death of one, and that a villain, that was resolved on. While this passed, Rizzio was dragged out into the next chamber, then into the outer chamber, where those who were waiting with Douglas despatched him at last, after giving him many wounds. This was contrary to the intentions of all who had conspired to put him to death; for they had resolved to hang him publicly, knowing that such a sight would be an agreeable spectacle to the people."

Buchanan (as Dr Hume Brown has pointed out) spent his life in communicating three leading ideas. In the first place, he implanted in in his pupils the desire for correct expression, for purity of speech. The Latin language before his time had been debased into a barbarous dialect, destitute of accuracy or taste. He culti vated purity of language as an instrument of moral and intellectual culture.

In the second place, he advocated a form of government (whether a republic or a monarchy) in which the ruler receives his authority from the law.

In the third place, he strove to renew the national religion, making of it a pietas litterata, or piety tempered by all that culture and learning can convey. And all these lessons were driven home by a powerful personality, in which intellect was balanced by will. "The greatest man of his age," so Salmasius called him. He was great not only in his writings, but in the living work of an educator, in which he spent many of the happiest hours of his long and honourable career. For his services to learning and to education, in Scotland and elsewhere, he deserves to be remembered. And it may be recalled that the portrait on the cover of the magazine in which this article appears is the portrait of George Buchanan.

shouted the captain's clerk, when luncheon was well under way in the gun-room of the Cassiopeia one sizzling hot day in the year 1884, waving over his head as he spoke the midshipmen's leave book.

"Shove my name down, and Fordham's too," replied Sartoris, the senior midshipman, in equally stentorian tones. "I haven't had a look at the beach for I don't know when. Number One's got such a down on me that he keeps jamming my leave out of sheer cussedness. He's hard up for excuses now, though, and I don't think he'll have invented a new one since yesterday, when he said he couldn't spare me from my duties as mate of the upper deck. It's make and mend' to-day, so he can't use that again."

66

"He's in rather good form to-day," remarked the captain's clerk, who had been told off by Sartoris to take charge of the leave book because he was supposed to be able to write, and Number One always says he can't read my writing." Directly after lunch Sartoris, whose duty it was, took the leave book to the first lieutenant for signature. That officer, who was enjoying his pipe in the ward-room smoking circle under the poop, and

life, contented himself with a cursory glance at the names therein and a whimsical look at the boy, and signed without a word. But as the latter crossed the deck to the gunroom smoking place, he heard the first lieutenant remark to the navigator, the navigator, "It's no use stopping that fellow's leave; he puts his name in the book every day."

Sartoris grinned.

The Cassiopeia was lying off Port of Spain, in the island of Trinidad, where the water is so shallow that even that little ship, which drew but 17 feet of water, had to lie quite two miles and a half from the shore, and as there was no wind that afternoon, the cutter's crew had to pull the heavy officer's boat all the way in to the landing-place-and off again.

On the way ashore, our two friends, who had stowed themselves away in the bows of the boat, as the stern sheets were full of ward-room officersincluding the first lieutenant,— discussed what they should do when they got ashore. They had both thoroughly explored the town on the occasions of previous visits to the island, and had found nothing very exciting, the "attractions" consisting mainly of heat, rum,

and niggers, so it was at once decided to taboo Port of Spain. Neither of them was interested in botany, so the botanic gardens were "off" also. Besides, they had come ashore to stretch their legs and get some exercise. They must explore the country inland, for the coast seemed to be all mangroves, and hence swampy. So that was settled.

And they were convinced that they had come to the right conclusion when, on landing, Ward, the navigating lieutenant, sang out to them, "I say, you fellows, you know we all have free passes on the railway, don't you? You have only to go to the station and say you belong to the Cassiopeia, and they will give you tickets free, gratis, and for nothing."

"Thank you, sir," replied Sartoris and Fordham in chorus. On arriving at the station they found a train on the point of starting. Not troubling to ask for tickets, or to discover whither it was bound, they jumped into a first-class carriage and made themselves comfortable.

through which they were passing.

Suiting the action to the word, he flung open the door and got out on to the footboard, followed by Fordham, and making their way along to the rear end of the carriage, the two boys climbed up the steps there and stood erect on the roof, whence they certainly obtained a glorious view of the surrounding country, and as much fresh air as any one could desire. But they soon found that the direct rays of a nearly vertical tropical sun were not conducive to comfort, especially as they had left their straw hats in the compartment, for fear they might be blown away.

Still, they could not go back before they had explored the whole of the upper regions of the train, so they walked forward, jumping from the roof of one carriage to that of the next until they reached the front coach, whence, as there was no suitable alighting place on the tender, they had to content themselves with shouting pleasantries to the black engine - driver and the still blacker stoker, who were horrified, and begged them to go back to their compartment, the driver at last threatening to stop the train if they did not do so at once, and even going so far as to put his hand to the throttle and slowing up. On this our two friends turned and fled, after promising to do as desired, and the train went on. The midshipmen, having

given their word, went back to their own place, and considered what they were to do next.

It was too hot to lie down and do their Thursday afternoon" caulk," even if they had felt inclined for it. Really, there seemed nothing they could do except to wait for the train to get somewhere.

And then it occurred to Fordham that they had come a considerable distance without getting anywhere—at least, without stopping anywhere. It was evidently a fast train, and they didn't know its destination, or whether or when it proposed to pull up anywhere before it got there. They might be carried on to the other end of the island and not be able to get back to the ship before she sailed, which she was to do that very evening, being due to arrive at the adjacent island of Tobago the following morning. It would never do for them to be left behind, for, setting aside the tremendous row there would be about it, they had but a few shillings with them (midshipmen are always impecunious). They did not know at what time the ship was actually sailing, but they did know that they had only got leave until sunset, and that the ship might get under way at any hour after that.

"Well, never mind," said Sartoris. "If we don't get back in time, it will be Ward's fault for luring us on. If it hadn't been for him we shouldn't

But we must do something about it," objected Fordham. "All right," replied Sartoris. Let's go and interview the guard in his lair, and find out if the train's intentions are honourable."

Fordham agreeing, they got out again, climbing as before to the roof, being the easiest route, and, as Sartoris pointed out, if they clawed along the footboard there would probably be trouble, as their dusky fellow passengers would be scandalised. Besides, it would be difficult, if not dangerous, for them to pass from one carriage to another. So they went along the roof and down the back end of the last carriage, bursting into the guard's van, where they frightened that ebony-hued gentleman nearly out of his wits.

"I cl'ar ter goodness, massa, said he when he had regained his senses a bit, "I t'ought you dun bin train robbers. W't you doin' heah?"

“Oh," replied Sartoris, we've just come along to pass the time of day with you, as we thought you might be lonely. And incidentally, as this jolly old train of yours doesn't seem inclined to stop anywhere, we wanted to know things, and imagined you might be able to tell us. For instance, when are we going to arrive somewhere?

Sambo looked out of the window, took out his watch

And then the train slowed down and drew up at Arima station, and the two boys stepped out decorously, though hatless, and made their way towards the exit.

The guard ran after them. "Whar yo' hat, massa?" demanded he, in hope of receiving the still missing douceur.

Oh, Lord!" replied Sartoris. They're in that confounded train. Run and get them, Fordie, while I settle with our snowy benefactor. He obviously wants a tip."

Sambo coyly demurred, but did not disdain the proffered shilling one of the very few in the lad's pocket, for the month was far spent.

The

guard then, with profuse thanks, returned to his duties, and very shortly, seeing Fordham descend from a first-class carriage, he gave the signal to the driver, and the train started. In the meanwhile Fordham had got into difficulties. He had easily found the compartment in which they had so

were nowhere to be seen. Jumping out of it, he proceeded to visit each of the other first-class compartments, and drew them all blank; and then, just as Sambo waved his flag, he again got into the right one, and once more searched under the seats, up in the rack, everywhere, in fact, that he could think of, but no hats. By the time he had finished this the train had gathered considerable speed, but he did not intend to be carried off in that way, so he leapt wildly from the footboard, landed on his feet just as his carriage was getting out of the station, turned a complete somersault, and rolled down the inclined plane at the end of the platform, the wheels narrowly missing him as the train sped past.

The stationmaster and the one and only porter, with many and loud ejaculations, rushed to his assistance, the latter dropping as he ran a couple of straw hats, but by the time they arrived on the scene Fordham had picked himself up and was bemoaning the loss of the hats in no uncertain tones and very unparliamentary language. Nevertheless, he was captured by the two, who most solicitously supported him, vigorously protesting, to a seat in the waiting-room. There Sartoris joined them, and found his companion bleeding rather profusely from a cut on his forehead. Sending the porter for some water, he bathed the wound, and found to his satis