29 JANUARY 1898, Page 11

The Paper Boat. By " Palinurus." (Jsmea Bowden.)—We

must own to not quite understanding all the nautical manceuvres which " Palinurus " describes in the first of the six stories put together in this volume, "My First Big Race." The narrator, who, here as elsewhere, imparts his experiences and his wisdom generally to a nephew, describes how he steered a yacht in what was something like an international race, and won it. The interest was all the keener because he was personating a more skilful yachtsman of the same name. "The Voyage of the Florette ' " is a story of love "on the ocean wave," which it might spoil to describe more distinctly. Tastes will differ as to whether " Palinurus " improves his tales by this admixture. Very likely readers who do not happen to be very keen about nautical matters will approve. Anyhow, this is a cleverly written and pleasant volume.