Part 15 (1/2)
”Not here,” the agent replied ”The Federal Courts look after that”
”But I thought you were a judge,” the boy protested ”Who adent,” was the reply ”He is a istrate All the natives are employees of the Fisheries Bureau He has a lot of authority over therave case is tried at Valdez, because that's the nearest Federal court fro questions, too, are so confused with international issues that we don't undertake to decide them”
”And ill happen to the schooner?”
”A prize creill be put aboard Take her to Unalaska The revenue cutter will pick them up afterwards Probably start for Valdez without delay Captain Murchison said this ”
”I wonder if I'll have to go?” said Colin ”I'm sure I don't want to, at least, not yet There's ever so much more that I want to find out about seals, and I've hardly started If I'et into the Bureau of Fisheries, I hope I shall have a chance to get so to do on this fur seal service”
”Fur seal's very important But only a sent said, and outlined to Colin the general workings of the Bureau, in which he showed the practical value of the work
”I knoant to join the Bureau,” the boy persisted, ”not only because I think there'selse, but because I like everything about it”
”What do your folks say about the plan?” the Fisheries agent queried
”They knoant it,” the lad replied, ”but I never felt that I knew enough about the Bureau to say that I didn't care to do anything else
Father's alantedto do with ti lumberman, you know
But, soht to know,” the other said ”Obviously! And if he owns timber lands, I think it's up to you to be a help Lots of interesting angles to the lu to descend to you, you'll have to look after them, anyway”
”But they won't,” objected Colin; ”that's just it In about ten years that timber will be all cut off I'm pretty sure Father will let me join the Bureau,” the boy continued, ”because he's wild about fishi+ng hi for big game”
”So for sport,”
the agent warned him ”I've been in the business all my life But I've never even learned to cast a fly! It's a serious business, and down in Washi+ngton you'll find that the value of the work to the people of the United States is the chief aim of the Bureau”
”It may be serious, but I should think that there is always so new And, anyway,” Colin said enthusiastically, ”fishes are ever sothan animals There are such heaps of different kinds, too!”
”The interest in work depends on how you look at it,” soberly responded the agent ”Obviously! But don't think the Bureau is experi with every kind of fish in the ocean There are only a few food fishes or forms with commercial value that are exploited at all”
”But you were describing to me, only yesterday, the way they handle et into the Bureau”
”Go ahead, then I don't doubt we'll be glad to have you I've done my best to show you what you'll have to face,” the official declared, ”and if you're still eager for it, why, go in and win There's always a place somewhere for the chap who is really anxious to work”
At supper that day, the decision was announced that the revenue cutter would start for Valdez next , and Colin had to scraet a s to send hoer brother to look after, and to put into a ss he had saved froe
The trip down to the Aleutian Islands and through its straits was a delight to Colin, and he became quite excited when he learned that the second lieutenant had for years been attached to a revenue cutter which had a wharf at the Fisheries Bureau station at Woods Hole, Mass This officer, who had a brother in the Bureau, was only too glad to talk to the boy about the service, and Colin monopolized his spare time on the journey And when, one day, his friend depicted the ireat salrew so excited that the lieutenant laughingly told hi to find that he had juashi+k River or some other of the famous salmon streams of Alaska
[Illustration: NATIVE SALMON TRAP ON AN ALASKAN RIVER
_Courtesy of the U S Bureau of Fisheries_]
[Illustration: MODERN SALMON TRAP ON AN ALASKAN RIVER
_Courtesy of the U S Bureau of Fisheries_]