CHAPTER XXI
OVERHEARD
The trip down the bay on the yacht was enjoyed by all, even thoughmuch of the time was taken up in depicting scenes from the drama.Sandy Apgar looked on curiously while the drama was being filmed, andwhen Ruth and Alice were not acting they talked to the young farmer.
They found him good-natured and rather simple, yet with a fund ofhomely wit and philosophy that stood him in good stead. He describedBeatonville to them, and the farm where he and his aged parents triedto wrest a living from nature--that was none too kind.
"I've had quite a little vacation since I come to New York," Sandysaid, "though it did take quite a bit of money. I reckon pop, though,will be disappointed that I can't bring back with me the promise ofsome cash."
"Then you need money very badly?" asked Alice.
"Yes, Miss. And I guess there ain't many farmers but what do.Leastways, I never met any that was millionaires. Though if the folksback home could see me now they'd think I was one, sittin' here doin'nothin'. It sure is great!"
The girls were called away to enact some of the scenes requiringtheir presence, and when they came back they found Sandy inconversation with the manager.
The girls saw Mr. Pertell give Sandy some bills, and when the youngfarmer protested, the manager said:
"Now never mind that!! You saved me more than that in stopping thatrunaway horse from spoiling my film and scene. You just take it, andwhen I get a chance I'll run up to your farm and look it over.
"I haven't got all my plans made yet, but I'm thinking of making aseries of plays with an old-fashioned farm as a background. Is yourplace old-fashioned?" he asked.
"That's what some city folks said once, when they stopped in theirautomobile to get a glass of milk," replied Sandy. "We haven't anyelectric lights, nor even a telephone. So I guess we'reold-fashioned, all right."
"I should say so," laughed Mr. Pertell. "Well, it may be the verything I need when I go out on the rural circuit with my company. Ifit is, I could pay for the use of your farm, and it wouldn'tinterfere with your getting in the crops. In fact, I would probablywant some scenes of harvesting, and the like."
"Well, come and we'll make you welcome," responded Sandy, warmly."Only I never expected to get paid for stopping a runaway horse," headded as he looked at the roll of bills.
"Well, take it and have a good time during the rest of your stay inNew York," advised the manager.
"Money's too scarce to waste on a good time," replied the youngfarmer, cautiously. "I'll use this to make up what I spent onrailroad fare. My trip was a failure, but pop and mom will be glad itdidn't cost me as much as I calculated, thanks to you. I hope youwill get out to Oak Farm."
"Oh, you'll probably see me," Mr. Pertell assured him. "Give me youraddress."
The making of the films went on, and the water scenes of this latestand most elaborate drama were nearly all taken.
"Now we will have the scene in the small boat, where the party putsoff to visit friends on the other vessel," announced Mr. Pertell."They don't actually get there, as the alarm on board this vesselbrings them back. But we'll have to show the start. Now, Mr. Sneed,you are to go in the small boat first."
Some of the sailors on board the yacht prepared to lower a boat fromthe davits, but Pepper Sneed held back.
"Do I have to get into that small boat?" he asked, dubiously.
"Certainly!" replied Mr. Pertell. "There is no danger."
"No danger!" cried Pepper Sneed. "What! In that small boat? Look atthe waves!" and he pointed over the side. There was only a gentleswell on.
"It's as calm as a mill pond," spoke one of the sailors.
"Mill pond! Don't say mill pond to me!" cried the grouchy actor. "Ifell in one once."
"Well, you won't fall now," declared the manager. "Get in the boat. Iwant to show it being lowered over the side with you in it."
"Well, if I have to--I'll have to, I suppose," groaned Mr. Sneed."But I know something will happen."
But matters seemed going smoothly enough. The sailors were carefullylowering the small craft, and it was nearly at the surface of thewater. Russ, up in the bow of the yacht, where he could get a goodview, was making the pictures.
Suddenly, when the boat was a few feet from the ripples on the bay,one of the ropes slipped quickly through the davit block. One end ofthe boat went down quite fast and Pepper Sneed was heard to yell:
"Here I go! I knew something would happen! Help! I'm going to sink!Help! Oh, why did I ever get into this business!"
But with great presence of mind the other sailors lowered away ontheir rope, so that the other end of the boat went down also, and inanother instant it was riding on an even keel. Nothing had happenedexcept that Pepper Sneed had been badly scared.
"Did you get that, Russ?" asked the manager, anxiously.
"Oh, yes."
"How was it?"
"Fine! It will be all the better with that little mistake in--lookmore natural."
"Good! Then we'll leave it in. Now the rest of you get down theaccommodation ladder. Stay there, Mr. Sneed!" he called to thegrouchy actor, who seemed to want to leave the boat.
"What! Are more of them coming in this little cockleshell?"
"Certainly. That boat will hold twenty. Keep your place."
"Well, we'll all be drowned, you mark my words!" predicted Mr. Sneed.But nothing else happened and that part of the film was successfullymade.
Then came more scenes aboard the yacht, until the water parts of thedrama were completed.
Late that afternoon the party of moving picture players returned toNew York. Sandy Apgar bade his new friends good-bye, expressing thehope that he would soon see them at Oak Farm.
"Excuse me, Mr. Pertell," said Alice, when they got back to thestudio, and instructions had been given out for the indoor rehearsalsnext day, "excuse me, but I could not help overhearing what you saidabout the possibility of some farm dramas. Do you intend to film someof those?"
"Indeed I do," he answered, with a smile. "Why, would you and yoursister like to be in them?"
"Very much!"
"Well, then, if this big play proves a success--and I see no reasonwhy it should not--I shall take you and the rest of the company outto the country for the summer. We may go to Oak Farm, or to someother place; but we'll try a circuit of rural dramas, and see howthey go."
Alice went to tell Ruth the good news. She found her sister in thedressing room, getting ready for the street.
"I think that will be fine!" exclaimed Ruth. "Listen, dear, daddytold me he had some business to attend to downtown, so he won't behome to supper. He suggested that we two go to a restaurant, and Ithink I'd like it--don't you? It will round out the day!"
"Of course. Let's go. I'm _so_ hungry from that little water trip!"
A short time afterward the girls sat in a quiet restaurant, not farfrom the moving picture studio. There were not many persons thereyet, for it was rather early. Ruth and Alice had taken a cosy littlecorner, of which there were a number in the place.
"We are coming on!" remarked Alice, as she gave her order.
"We certainly are!" agreed Ruth. "Who would ever have thought that wewould get to be moving picture girls? I think----"
"Hush!" cautioned Alice, raising her hand for silence. Then the twogirls heard some men in the next screened-off place talking, and oneof them spoke loudly enough to be overheard.
"I'm sure we can get it," he was saying. "It's a nice little patent,and all the movies in the country will want it. It makes the picturesclearer and steadier. I tried to make a deal with him for it, but heturned me down. Now I'm going to get it anyhow, if you'll help."
"But how can you get it if it's patented?" another voice asked.
"That's the joke of it. It isn't patented yet. And all we need is theworking model, and we can make one like it and patent it ourselves.Are you with me?"
"I guess so--yes!" was the answer.
"Good, then we'll get the model to-night and sta
rt a patent of ourown. I know where he's taken it."
There was a scraping of chairs, indicating that the men were leaving.Ruth and Alice gazed at each other with startled eyes.