76 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



the warden. Notwithstanding, at the stranger's 

 request, he stepped forward and laid the two eggs 

 exactly where they had lain before. 



*' Better keep your eye on them," he warned; 

 ** they 're right easy lost sight of." 



*T can see them," said the stranger. 



From the pocket of his coat he took a camera, 

 small in size, but with a good lens, focused it and 

 took a picture of the eggs as they lay in their 

 ground nest. Then he handed the camera to Shan. 



''Take hold," he said, "you'll find that photos 

 give you a much better idea of nests than you can 

 get by merely writing a description. I '11 send you 

 a bunch of films and you can learn how to develop 

 them." 



The boy looked at him with bewilderment. 



''You mean — I'm to keep this?" he gasped. 



' ' Sure ! I can get another, when I go back to the 

 city. Good field observers are rare enough in 

 these parts for us to be ready to help them all we 

 can. ' ' 



Shan commenced to stammer out some thanks, 

 but the stranger stopped him abruptly. 



"Oh, that's all right,' he said, "but I'd like to 

 see that collection of yours. ' ' 



"I'll show you," replied Shan eagerly, for he 



