Part 15 (2/2)

Shortly before they arrived at Valdez, the lieutenant of the cutter called the boy aside

”Colin,” he said, ”didn't you telldown to Santa Catalina?”

”Yes, sir,” the boy answered ”Father's down there now, and I want to ask hio and join the Bureau of Fisheries”

”Well,” the officer replied, ”before you do that, I think you ought to get some idea about the sort of work there is to do It happens that one ofsoe not far froive you a letter to hiht stop on your way to Santa Catalina and see the work from another point of view”

”I'd like to ever so o uninvited”

”He'll be only too pleased to see you,” was the reply; ”he's a Westerner likeyou up for a day or two”

”It's right in o

”Quite a few of the steamers for 'Frisco stop at Astoria, at the ested, ”and the professor's cottage is not more than half an hour fro station at Chinook, Wash”

”Just across the river, then?”

”Exactly The way I look at it, you're not at all likely to have anything to do with fur seal if you go into the Bureau, certainly not for a good e the Fisheries' scope froht to see the work that will probably fall to your lot”

”Very well, sir,” said the boy, ”I'll go gladly, and thank you ever so much”

”I'll drop a note to Professor Todd, then,” the lieutenant said, nodding as he turned away, ”and as we may be delayed a few days in Valdez, the letter will reach him before you will”

On their arrival at the Alaskan town, Colin learned that some time would elapse before the trial of the japanese prisoners, as the court would not be in session until later in the summer, and he was told that when his deposition had been taken, there would be no need to keep hily, after the boy had related the story of the discovery and of his entire connection with the affair, he was told that he ht leave

As the revenue officer had expected, within a week a stea at Astoria on the way, and Colin took passage aboard Aside froht hireat deal about the principal valuable sea shells of the world, the voyage ithout incident, and he arrived in Astoria in tie of the professor, where he was to stay that night, having found a letter of welco the house he presented his letter of introduction, and was cordially greeted Finding that the boy was really interested, his host took hi on the various diseases of the salave Colin an entirely new outlook on the Fisheries' activities

”I never thought of fishes being sick before!” he exclaimed ”Are there fish-doctors in the Bureau?”

”There's a large division of the service given to that very work,” the professor replied, ”only there are so many millions of fish that we do not try to cure the individual, but only endeavor to prevent the disease You knohat the work of a veterinary is?”

”Of course,” the boy responded

”And you know that the United States Government has an inspector at every place where cattle and sheep and pigs are slaughtered to see that no diseased animals are sold?”

”Yes,” the boy answered, ”I have heard of that, too”

”Since there is almost as much fish eaten in this country as there is meat,” the professor continued, ”Uncle Sam sees to it that no diseased fish are sold for food”

”I don't quite see how,” the boy responded; ”there can't be an inspector at every place where they catch fish”

”Certainly not, but as long as there is no disease a fish, there can be no diseased fish We try to prevent the diseases Now here, for example,” he continued, ”are a lot of fish that have a kind ofthe trout and salmon that are artificially raised, and so fish that have been reared in a state of nature, and I have been working for some time on this and I hope this year--or at all events by next season--to be able to show the cause of the disease That is really my problem, Colin, but the details of it are too complicated to explain easily But you have coood ti to do an experiht interest you, and I waited until you cao out to-morrow”

”I should, ever so much,” Colin exclaimed ”What's the experiment?”