ittle
best in the volunteer job on this beach."

"It's bully work here, all right," agreed Eric, "and I'm only sorry I
can't be in two places at once. Good luck, old man," he continued,
shaking hands with his chum heartily, "I'll drop you a line written
right on Tillamook Rock, and maybe it'll have the real sea flavor to
it!"

Eric was quite excited in joining his father at Astoria, where they were
to take the lighthouse-tender _Manzanita_ to Tillamook Rock. During all
the years his father had been connected with the light, both as
light-keeper and as inspector, he had never taken his wife or son there.
Of course, under no circumstances would they have been allowed to stay
over night, but Eric had never even visited the rock. The boy had begged
for a chance to stay over one night, just to stand one watch in the
lighthouse, but--rules were rules. The utmost privilege he could get was
permission to go to the lighthouse with his father, when the latter was
making his final inspection before transfer to another district.

"I hear you've been distinguishing yourself, Eric," the veteran said,
when the _Manzanita_ had cast off from the wharf.

"How do you mean, Father?"

"Rescues, and that sort of thing. It made me feel quite proud of my
son."

"There were a few," the lad answered, with a quick flush of pride at his
father's praise, "but at that I don't think I got my full share. We had
a fellow there we called the 'Eel.' Nobody else had a chance to get
anything when he was around."

"Good swimmer, eh?"

"He was a wonder! Why, Father, he used to swim under water nearly all
the time, just putting his nose out to breathe once in a while, and at
the end of his side stroke he had a little wiggle that shot him ahead
like greased lightning. Funniest stroke you ever saw!"

"Couldn't you pick it up?"

"Oh, I got the stroke all right," Eric answered confidently, "but I
can't do it the way he did. And you should have seen him dive!"

"I always was glad you took kindly to that work," said the inspector
thoughtfully, "because I believe it is pretty well handled, now that
it's on an official basis. It certainly supplements the government's
life-saving work very well. I've wondered, sometimes, whether it
oughtn't to be taken hold of by the nation."

"I don't think it's necessary, Father," Eric replied. "You see, if it
was a government station, the regular crew would have to be on duty all
the time. There's no need for that.