192 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



by the day after, the first-born was beginning to be 

 quite a respectable-looking little chick. 



That evening the boy fixed up a corner of the 

 cabin for a dark room, tying red paper round the 

 old lantern, and got out all his chemicals, amid a 

 grumbling accompaniment from Bull. The old 

 man had given him permission and he never went 

 back on his word. 



"Wastin' yo' time on foolin' an' fillin' the place 

 with a smell like rotten fish ! " he exclaimed. * ' An ' 

 all for nothin'! Yo'd better be loadin' shells an' 

 gettin birds in a man's way." 



There was little humor and a good deal of 

 obstinacy in Shan's disposition. He chewed on 

 a piece of celluloid from a film and answered 

 nothing. He knew that Bull would accept no an- 

 swer but success. The boy's jaw was set firm. 

 He was not merely wishing that the photos would 

 come out right, he was aching with the desire. 

 His eagerness was so keen as to be almost a pain. 



The films went into the developer. Immed- 

 iately, in the ruby light, the pictures began to 

 appear. He could have shouted for delight, but 

 Shan was not made that way. Time enough to 

 speak when all was done. Bull went to bed before 

 the lad had finished washing the negatives. 



