u haven't said anything about my
chances in the Bureau."

The Fisheries official looked straight at him with a long, level glance.

"We need high-grade, well-trained men," he said; "the more so because
there are no really good ichthyological schools. And no matter how
well-trained a man may be he's got to have the practical experience and
the grit behind it. If you show in this trip that you're made of the
right kind of stuff and if your college work is up to standard, I'll
promise you a summer job for next year and for each year that you're at
college. You'll be advanced just exactly as fast as you deserve, and not
a bit faster. If you want to go into the Bureau your record will be
watched, and you'll sink or swim by that!"

"Very well, sir," said Colin, a little taken aback by this
straight-from-the-shoulder statement. "I'll do my best, anyhow." He
shook hands heartily, and thanking his new chief, hurried excitedly to
the hotel where his family was staying to tell of his success and of the
unexpected addition of the Florida trip.

His father was quite well satisfied that the boy should have so pleasant
an initiation into the life he had chosen, and was quite content that
this semi-holiday opportunity had arisen instead of hard work in one of
the hatchery stations. Major Dare felt that Colin had already had a
strenuous summer and that it was advisable for him to do something a
little less adventurous before beginning his college work.

The evening that the lad spent with the scientist-artist was a
revelation to him, for his host not only knew the life of the bottom of
the sea as though he had always lived there, but he was a marvelous
designer in glass, and possessed some of the most exquisite models of
fragile sea forms, all of which had been made under his direction.
Several of these were magnified many times and were more beautiful even
than any the boy had ever seen pictured.

There were no half-way measures in Colin's enthusiasm, and he begged Mr.
Collier to lend him books, so that during the days that were to elapse
before starting on the trip, he could get an idea of the life histories
of sea anemones, jellyfish, and the like, with which he would be
working. His friend was both amused and pleased by the lad's eagerness.

Mrs. Dare had visited friends in the Bermudas once or twice, so that she
was able to give Colin many suggestions which he found went far to
increase the pleasure of his stay. A meeting wa