“No,” replied Walter, “I’m not. Ordinarily I should, but I’m going to give each of these films separate treatment, and develop each for all that it holds. You know I want another fifty points,” he added.
The daylight subjects were developed first and, with the exception of one fogged across one corner, were all that could be desired. Walter was particularly pleased with the results of his first successful shots on the way in to Lonesome Pond, and as the image of the great blue heron rapidly increased in strength under his skilful manipulation of the developer he confided to Hal how his rattled nerves had led him to miss two splendid chances previous to the opportunity afforded by the heron.
A portrait of Big Jim holding up Walter’s double catch of trout would have been hard to improve, and Hal, looking over the other’s shoulder, blushed as he recalled the big trout he had bought only to be beaten by the catch of which he now saw the proof growing before his eyes.
For the flashlights Walter prepared a special developer, and as it washed over the first film both boys bent over the tray eagerly. Almost at once three spots, one slightly above the other two, appeared, and these rapidly took outline until the eager watchers could see clearly the doe and three fawns of Lonesome Pond.
“Hip, hip hurrah!” shouted Hal, slapping Walter on the back. “There are your fifty points for the Delawares!”
“Now for the last one of all,” said Walter as, the others all in the hypo, he picked up the negative made by the flash on the runway. “I knew what ought to be on the others, but I don’t know what ought to be on this except that it ought to be a deer.”
He bent impatiently over the tray, gently rocking the developer back and forth over the negative. Presently he looked up, and in the dim ruby light Hal could see a puzzled frown wrinkling his forehead. “That’s the queerest thing I ever got up against!” he exclaimed. “I can make out the horns of a big buck, but they seem to be all mixed up with the figure of a man. If I hadn’t taken such mighty good care of these films I’d say that it was a case of double exposure. Must be that I had another case of rattles, and forgot to pull the tab of the one made just before the flashlight, and so made the latter right on top of the former. Yet this doesn’t act like an over-exposed negative, and a double exposure would be an over-exposure. Oh, well, I give it up! We’ll see what it looks like when it comes out of the hypo. Here it goes in. Now open that door, Hal, and I’ll open the window. I’m about roasted.”
Hal threw open the door and the two boys stepped out into the office. The doctor was still there, but Big Jim and the warden were nowhere to be seen. At the sound of the opening door the doctor looked up.
“We beg your pardon, doctor, and hope that we haven’t disturbed you,” said Walter.
“Not in the least, Upton,” he replied smilingly. “I presume you have been developing those Lonesome Pond negatives, and to tell you the truth I am almost as anxious to see them as you are yourself. You see Big Jim has told me all about that trip, and he was positively enthusiastic over the flashing of the three deer.”