“Well, I don’t suppose we should have had any excuse.”
“Yes,” said McConnell, “the camera is an excuse, isn’t it?”
XIII.
A TOUCH-DOWN.
McCONNELL’S remark now began to seem entirely true; for even commonplace scenes and commonplace happenings became more interesting than they ever before had seemed, now that they were associated with picture-making.
Dr. Hartel said that this was because the boys began to think about things in a new light, of which they never before had thought about at all. “It would be much the same,” he said, “if you had taken up botany, or mineralogy, or the microscope. I remember that life and history and governments suddenly began to have an entirely new interest for me when I began collecting coins and postage-stamps. Before that it didn’t seem to make much difference about the Italian States or the precise date of the Restoration, or who was restored. Then at once it began to seem of positively exciting importance. My stamps and coins began telling me when and whom. It is the same with your new hobby. When a man climbs on a hobby, unless he rides it too hard and loses his balance, he gets a wider view of something.” “So I mustn’t ride too hard,” said Allan.
“No, you must remember that the academy opens next week.”
A week after the high school opened, McConnell told Allan that Mr. Thornton had remarked one afternoon, “Now, McConnell, I’m afraid you are thinking about your camera.”