mile. "Why, Mr.
Manning, we didn't look for you until tomorrow, though your tent is
ready for you. Come in and sit down."

Jim took the proffered camp chair and after a few inquiries about his
trip, Mr. Freet said: "It's supper time and I'll take you over to the
mess and introduce you. Only a few of the engineers have their wives
here and all the others, with the so-called 'office' force, eat at
'Officers' Mess'. I'm not going to load you up with advice, Mr. Manning.
You are a tenderfoot and fresh from college. You occupy the position of
cub engineer here, so you will be fair bait for hazing. Don't take it
too seriously. About your work? I shall put you into the hands of the
chief draughtsman for a time. I want you to thoroughly familiarize
yourself with that end of the work. Then, although most of that part is
done, you will go into the concrete works, then out on the dam with the
superintendent. Remember that you have no record except some good
college work. Forget that you ever were a senior. Look at yourself as a
freshman in a difficult course, where too many cons means a life
failure."

Jim listened respectfully. At that moment Arthur Freet was the biggest
man on earth to him.

"Yes, sir," he said. "Thank you."

Freet pulled on a corduroy coat. "Come over to supper, Manning. Too much
advice on an empty stomach is bad for the digestion."

Jim followed meekly after the Big Boss.

Jim reported to Charlie Tuck, the head draughtsman the next morning.
Tuck was a plump, middle-aged man, bald headed and clean shaven, with
mild blue eyes. Jim put him down in his own mind as a sissy and chafed a
little at being put into Tuck's care. But his discontent was shortlived.

Tuck proved to be a hard taskmaster. Before the end of the week Jim
realized that he would not get out of Tuck's hands until he knew every
inch of the design of the great dam from the sluice gates and the
drainage holes to the complete vertical section. He had no patience with
mistakes and Jim took his grilling in silence, for the fat little man
showed a deep knowledge of the technical side of dam building that
reduced the cub engineer to a humble pulp.

Also, Jim discovered that Tuck was an old Yale man and that his
avocation in life seemed to be tennis. The engineers had a good court in
the woods and after Tuck found that Jim liked the game, he took the boy
over to the court every afternoon before supper and beat him with
monotonous regularity. And