d other craft.

The effect of the temperature on such vast quantities of metal is shown
in many ways. By shortening and lengthening the cables, it heightens and
lowers the bridge, which is consequently slightly higher above the river
in winter than it is in summer. At the tower-tops the cables rest on
huge iron saddles, which are placed upon forty steel rollers, so that
the cables may move more freely in expanding and contracting. Again, the
bridge itself is not made in one piece, but is severed half-way across
and provided with a sliding joint, so that all shall act obediently to
the dictates of the ever-changing weather.

Thus you see there is more in building a bridge than appears to those
who do not remember that a knowledge of nature's laws must guide the
architect's hand when he is drawing his plans, and govern the engineer's
tools when he is carrying those plans into effect.

JOHN LEA.

THE LAST TIME.

'You might do it for me, just this once, Barton,' said Lopes in a tone
of anxiety not often heard from a schoolboy. 'Your father is a rich man,
and you can always get all the money you want from him, and if you will
only lend me this, I will never borrow from you again. Do ask for the
money at once!'

Barton looked much perplexed at this appeal, but he answered firmly: 'I
can't do it, old fellow! I have given my word to my father never to be
mixed up in any betting transaction, and I cannot ask him for money to
go to a bookmaker.'

'Then I'm ruined!' said Lopes, passionately, 'and much you care, though
you and I have been chums together ever since we first entered the
school!' and in his despair he clenched his fist and seemed almost as if
he were going to strike his friend.

Barton put up his arm to shield himself as he said in a low voice, 'Look
out, Lopes; don't shout so! we don't want all the kids to know about
this matter;' for just at this moment a trio of merry lads came round
the corner of the Fives Court, whooping and shouting at the top of their
voices. 'Come to the garden; we shall be quiet there, and can talk over
matters, and see what can be done;' and Barton closed the book he had
been studying and led the way to the nut-walk which was sacred to the
Sixth Form.

Lopes followed gloomily. 'It's no good talking, if you won't help me,'
he said as they reached the quiet path.

'But I want to help you,' said Barton, 'and I think I see a way out of
this scrape.'

'Oh, do you?' said Lop