machine. As I have said, it could be worked by a storage battery, by
ordinary electric current from a dynamo, or by hand. On top was a new
kind of electric light. This was small and compact, but it threw out
powerful beams. With the automatic arrangement set, and the light
turned on, the camera could be left at a certain place after dark, and
whatever went on in front of it would be reproduced on the moving roll
of film inside.

In the morning the film could be taken out, developed, and the pictures
thrown on a screen in the usual way, familiar to all who have been in a
moving picture theatre. With the reproducing machines Tom had nothing
to do, as they were already perfected. His task had been to make the
new-style camera, and it was nearly completed.

A number of rolls of films could be packed into the camera, and they
could be taken out, or inserted, in daylight. Of course after one film
had been made, showing any particular scene any number of films could
be made from this "master" one. Just as is done with the ordinary
moving picture camera. Tom had an attachment to show when one roll was
used, and when another needed inserting.

For some time after the visit of the rival moving picture men, Tom was
on his guard. Both house and shop were fitted with burglar alarms, but
they did not ring. Eradicate and Koku were told to be on watch, but
there was nothing for them to do.

"Well," remarked Tom to Ned, one afternoon, when they had both worked
hard, "I think it's about finished. Of course it needs polishing, and
there may be some adjusting to do, but my camera is now ready to take
pictures--at least I'm going to give it a test."

"Have you the rolls of films?"

"Yes, half a dozen of 'em And I'm going to try the hardest test first."

"Which one is that?"

"The night test. I'm going to place the camera out in the yard, facing
my shop. Then you and I, and some of the others, will go out, pass in
front of it, do various stunts, and, in the morning we'll develop the
films and see what we have."

"Why, are you going to leave the camera out, all night?"

"Sure. I'm going to give it the hardest kind of a test."

"But are you and I going to stay up all night to do stunts in front of
it?"

"No, indeed. I'm going to let it take what ever pictures happen to come
along to be taken after we get through making some special early ones.
You see my camera will be a sort of watch dog, only of course it won't
catch any one