296 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



*'Yes," the other agreed, '^1 have. It's noth- 

 ing very attractive so far as wages are concerned, 

 but I think it mil appeal to your adventurous 

 sense." 



''Adventure! Oh, sir!" 



"Yes," his old friend answered, "real adven- 

 ture, may be." 



Shan pulled off a leaf of a neighboring tree and 

 commenced to chew it, as he had done since child- 

 hood. He could not disguise his eagerness. 



"A week or two ago," the Feather Man con- 

 tinued, "I received an offer from one of our state 

 universities to accompany a scientific expedition to 

 the bird rookeries in the Laysan archipelago. I 

 have been anxious for some time to make some 

 studies on the flight and plumage of the Black- 

 Footed Albatross and the other birds of that re- 

 servation." 



"Yes, sir," said the boy, impatiently. 



"Well," the Feather Man continued, speaking 

 with provoking slowness, "I dropped a note to 

 Baker, suggesting that since the expedition was to 

 be accompanied by one or two Biological Survey 

 men, you might be permitted to go as assistant 

 photographer. I've got his answer here." 



"And he says — yes?" Shan asked. 



