“I can read it all right,” Hamilton answered, “although I don’t write particularly well.  But are the schedules all in Spanish?”

“Yes, indeed,” said the other.

“I don’t think simple Spanish would bother me at all,” Hamilton replied.  “I knew a chap who was going to the Philippines and he wanted some one to take up Spanish with him so that he wouldn’t be alone in it; and to keep him company, I hammered at it too.  But, after a bit, he joined a class, so I dropped out, although I did study once in a while so as not to forget it altogether.”

“Why don’t you suggest that you know Spanish,” remarked Barnes, “and perhaps you’ll get the chance.”

Accordingly, when a little later, the final copy on the Alaskan schedules was turned in, Hamilton asked concerning the Porto Rican work, and ventured his slight familiarity with Spanish.

“We have several translators,” replied the chief, “but still, I suppose Mr. Alavero can make you useful.  I’ll let you know later on.”

In a few moments he returned and beckoned to the boy, who followed him, with a word of farewell and thanks to the editor of the Alaskan schedules with whom he had enjoyed working greatly.

“Mr. Alavero,” the official said, introducing Hamilton, “this is Noble.  I don’t know what his Spanish is like, but I think he may be of some use to you in getting out the manufactures statistics, as he did some work along that line early in the year and has been with the census ever since.”

The editor smiled affably at the boy and shook hands with heartiness.

“The schedule work is all done,” he said, “but it will take some time preparing the report.  It is going to be fuller than most of them because there is so much American capital invested in Porto Rico that a detailed analysis will be of value.”

“It is real editorial work, then!” Hamilton said, with a note of pleasure in his voice.

“I think,” said the chief dryly, “that Mr. Alavero will do the editorial work, as you call it, since he is the editor; you are to assist him in preparing tables and matters of that kind.”

But no sooner had the Bureau official gone than the Porto Rican came forward.

“If you like,” he said, “we’ll try to arrange some part of the work that you can do all yourself, writing and everything else, so that it will be ‘real’ editorial work, and you’ll be able to see your own writing in print.”

Hamilton thanked him fervently, and from that day on would have done anything for his new superior.

“This is a considerable change, Mr. Alavero,” said Hamilton the following morning, when he found himself at a table littered with maps and drawings of the island, with papers in Spanish and English, with reports and circulars containing pictures of the sub-tropical landscapes and towns of Porto Rico.  “I have been doing nothing but Alaska for a month past.”

“Too cold!” the Porto Rican cried, with a shrug of the shoulders.  “I was in Washington this last winter and I thought I should die of freezing.”