Lost in Samoa. By E. S. Ellis. (Cassell and Co.)—This
is a tale of sunk treasure, always an attractive subject. In real life, very vague schemes for recovering it commonly succeed, at least in finding the money of the credulous ; and in fiction it excites a proportionate interest. The plot is not very cleverly managed. The central situation of the book is where the young hero defends the cavern against the beach-combers. This is good enough. But the circumstances that lead up to it are ill-contrived. Why in the world was the little girl allowed to accompany Evan on his exploring expedition ? "It promised to be like a picnic to the light-hearted girl." Considering that the last time Evan had been on shore he had his head broken by an unknown assailant, it might have occurred to him that the less encumbered he was, the better. But it is a readable tale, full of adventure, and with no admixture of sentimentality.—From the same author and publishers, we have also Tad : or, " Getting Even with Him." This is a story of school-life in the United States, the school being one of those that are there known as " Common." English readers will note with interest many curious differences between school- life on the other side of the Atlantic and our own. It seems essential for a teacher to be physically superior to his scholars. If he is not as heavy and tall, he must be a practised athlete. It is treated as a matter of course that the bully of the school should announce his intention of thrashing his master. Finding him- self baffled by superior skill, he introduces a savage dog to help him. Luckily, the teacher boarded with the dog's owner, and the brute remained neutral. This is a curious state of manners. But even in the milder region of Canada we have known of a boy drawing a revolver on a disagreeable master. Bane-ball is another distinctive feature. A game is vigorously described ; but we have not been able to get the full benefit of the description, for want of a glossary. " A fumble of short-stop " we comprehend: " Fumbles " are not unknown here. But what is " reaching on a fumble " ? A " curved pitcher " appears to be a player who pitches the ball with a twist on it ; but the phrase is obscure. Can a ball pitch on the head of a player and bound fifty feet P A third peculiarity of the scene is the tornado. The reader will find Tad very entertaining, and the moral is excellent.
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