"Of course, but most fellows would tell you ahead that they were going
to do so and so and make a lot of talk about it. You just go ahead and
do it without making any fuss."

"Why, no, of course not, but it is so different from the ordinary
fellow's way of doing things."

The boys watched the picture appear on Billy's plate, and the funny
fellow said with a grin of great satisfaction:

"There is something there all right, Jack. It is good and sharp, too, if
I know anything. Why, you can see each individual leaf and the rocks
stand out fine."

"Yes, I think the boys are going to be surprised," declared Jack, as he
watched the developing, and removed the plate from the bath just at the
right time and put it in another tray.

After fixing the image and washing the plate well with several waters,
having everything convenient to his hand, he examined the plate
carefully by the white light, which could do it no harm, and suddenly
said in a tone of the greatest astonishment:

"My word, Billy, we are going to surprise somebody and no mistake. You
don't know everything that is on this plate."

"Well, what is it?" Billy and Percival both asked, being greatly excited
by Jack's impressive tone.

"I'll show you shortly. I am going to make an enlargement of this so
that you will have no trouble in seeing just what I see."

"Yes, but Jack, can't you show us?" asked Percival with some impatience.
"Must you make a secret of it?"

"For a little while, Dick," laughed Jack; "but you won't say anything
when I show you the enlargement. You will be perfectly satisfied at
having waited a little."

"All right," muttered both boys.

Jack had all the appliances for making an enlargement, and he could do
it as well by night as in daylight, having flash powders which would
give an instant's light or be continued for as long as he chose,
together with plates, paper and everything convenient.

The boys watched him at work and were greatly interested, now and then
catching the sound of the Hilltop boys singing outside, but generally
paying little attention to anything except what was going on just around
them.

In the course of something more than an hour Jack had completed his work
and showed a much larger print of Billy's pinhole photograph than was
possible from the original plate, and also a print from the latter.

"Now look at these two, first the little one and then the big," he said,
"and tell me what is the difference."

"