12 SEPTEMBER 1903, Page 22

Alarms and Excursions. By H. B. Marriott Watson. (Methuen and

Co. 6s.)—We have here eight short stories, naturally of varying value. The first, "The Mohock," has the look of a fragment from some larger tale which the author has thrown aside. There is a certain brilliance about it ; but it does not interest, and we were not disappointed to find, that the end came on p. 70, and not, as the title of the volume led us to expect, on p. 312. "Captain Sword," the third in the table of contents, is a story of the Peninsular War, and full of life and spirit. Generally the quality of the book is not of the best. The writing is good; the stories have little to hold the attention.