ing with the statement,

"'I don't know that I'd be willing to say as much for all my
lieutenants!'

"'I would!' the Coast Guard senior captain answered. And I figured right
then and there, that the Coast Guard was what I wanted."

"I almost feel like that lieutenant now," said Eric, "and I'm not
through the first year. And after the cruise I'll be Johnny-on-the-spot,
for sure."

In some ways Eric was not altogether wrong in this statement, for his
thorough knowledge of mathematics stood him in good stead in navigation.
Questions such as "Great Circle Sailing" he ate alive, and a well known
problem of "Equations of Equal Altitudes" was, to use his own
expression, nuts to him.

Eric had the sense of gratitude strongly developed, and he always kept
the old puzzle-maker informed of his progress. In return, the old man
used to send him weird arithmetical problems, that it took the whole
class weeks to work out.

In spite of the strong discipline, the spirit of the Academy was so
congenial that the cadets were able to get into personal relations with
the instructors. There was never the faintest overstepping of the most
rigid rule, there was nothing remotely resembling familiarity between
any cadet and an instructor, but, at the same time, the heartiest good
feeling existed. For example, realizing the value of outside
mathematical interests, the instructor in that subject used to allow the
class to bring to him any kind of problem. On more than one occasion the
instructor was as much interested in the puzzle-maker's devices as were
the boys themselves. Great was the triumph of the class, when, on one
occasion, they worked out a problem that had been too much for the queer
old mathematician in Michigan.

The spring cruise on the practice ship _Itasca_ more than fulfilled
Eric's hopes. The salt of the sea was in his veins and he actually
secured an approving phrase from the boatswain on one occasion--a
compliment harder to get than from the Commandant of the Academy
himself. It was real hard training; the cadets had to handle the ship
and do all the work aboard her, as well as to keep up with their
studies. None the less, it was enjoyable, every minute of it, bad
weather as well as good, and at the end of his first year's cruise, Eric
realized to the full that he had chosen the career for which he was best
suited.

The boy's passionate interest in his work and his doggedness in study
stood him in good stead. He had