s!"

He sighed; it was obvious that he was living over again his life in the
western wilds. A wistful look crept into his eyes, and I began to
construct his sad story. He loved a maid, but the bruiser of the camp
loved her also . . . hence the broken-down clothes, the dirty collar.
But anon he cheered up again.

"Yes," he said, "I love the West, but for colour and climate give me
Japan."

I was so confused now that I had to blow out my pipe vigorously. I
glanced at Dauvit, but he was sharpening his knife on the emery hone,
and did not appear to be interested. I felt a vague anger against
Dauvit; why wasn't he helping me in my trial?

"Japan," continued the irrepressible stranger, "is one of the finest
countries in the world, but, for climate give me Siberia."

I hastily thought to myself that if I were Lenin I . . . but I did not
follow out my daydream, for the stranger brought me back to earth by
inquiring what was my honest and unbiassed opinion of the Peruvians. I
very cleverly pretended that I had swallowed some nicotine, and, after
a polite pause for my answer, he went off to the subject of pearl
fishing at Thursday Island. Then he looked at Dauvit's clock.

"Jerusalem!" he gasped, "the pub shuts at twa o'clock!" and he rushed
out of the shop. I heaved a great sigh of relief, and then I heaved a
greater sigh of relief.

I seized Dauvit by the arm.

"Dauvit," I gasped, "who--who is your cosmopolitan friend?"

"My what kind o' a friend?"

"Your world-travelled friend, Dauvit. Tell me who he is."

Dauvit laughed softly.

"That," he said, "was Joe Mill. He bides wi' his old mother in that
cottage at the foot o' the brae. To the best o' my knowledge he hasna
been further than Perth in his life."

"But!" I cried in amazement, "he has been everywhere!"

"He hasna," said Dauvit shortly, "but he works the cinema lantern at
the Farfar picter hoose."

* * * * *

I had a long talk to-night with Macdonald about self-government in
schools, and I told him of my plans for running a self-governing school
in Highgate. At the end of the discussion I had the biggest surprise
of my life. Mac smoked for a long time in silence, then he turned to
me suddenly.

"Look here, old chap, I'll have a shot at introducing self-government
to-morrow," he said with enthusiasm.

I grasped his hand.

"Excellent! Mac, you're a wonder! You're a brave man!"

"I don't feel brave," he said n