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"Mr. Rivers?" The Alaskan explorer and geologist looked up from his desk and took in with a quick glance the boy, standing hat in hand beside the door, noting with quiet approval the steady gray eye and firm chin of his visitor. "Yes?" he replied. "I'm Roger Doughty," explained the lad sturdily, "and Mr. Herold told me that I should find you here." "And what can I do for you?" The boy seemed somewhat taken aback by the direct question, as though he had expected the purpose of his visit to be known, but he answered without hesitation. "I understood from Mr. Herold that he had spoken to you about me. I want to go to Alaska." "You mean on the Survey?" "Yes, sir." "Your father wrote to me some time ago that you would be coming. He said, if I remember, that you had been nominated one of the new field men under that college scholarship plan." "I think I am the first, Mr. Rivers," answered Roger with a smile. "Sit down," said the elder man; then, as the boy hesitated, "just put those books on the table.