Lee.

Blake and Joe ground away at their cameras, faithfully recording the
scenes for the thrill and delight of those who would afterward see them
in comfortable theaters, all unaware of the hard work necessary to
produce them.

The Confederates made a last stand at the barn. They were fired upon by
the Unionists and finally driven off down the road--such as were left of
them--while the victorious Northern fighters put out the fire in the
house and the scene ended in the reuniting of long-separated lovers.

"Well, I'm glad that's over!" remarked Mr. Hadley, as he came up to
Blake and Joe where they were taking their cameras apart in readiness
for carrying them back to the studio. "It didn't go so badly, do you
think?"

"I think it'll be a fine picture!" declared Joe.

"The last stand of the Confederates was particularly good," observed
Blake.

"Good!" cried the producer. "That's a fine line for a leader--'The Last
Stand.' I must make a note of it before I forget it. And now you boys
can go back to New York. Have the films developed the first thing and
let me know how they have come out."

"They'll probably be spoiled," put in the gloomy voice of C. C.

Mr. Hadley looked around far something to throw at him, but having
nothing but his note book, which was too valuable for that, contented
himself with a sharp look at the gloomy comedian.

"When will you want us again, Mr. Hadley?" asked Blake, as he and Joe
made ready to go back in the automobile to New York, the "Southern"
battle scene having taken place in a location outside of Fort Lee on the
New Jersey bank of the Hudson River, where many large moving picture
studios are located.

"Oh, that's so! I did want to talk to you about something new I have in
mind," said Mr. Hadley. "Blake--and you, too, Joe--are you game for some
dangerous work?"

"Do you mean such as we had in Earthquake Land?" asked Blake.

"Or under the sea?" inquired his partner.

"This is a call to battle," replied Mr. Hadley. "And it's real battle,
too! None of this smoke-bomb stuff! Boys, are you game for some actual
fighting?"

CHAPTER II

THE ACCIDENT

Not at all to the discredit of the moving picture boys is it to be
considered when it is recorded that, following this question on the part
of Mr. Hadley, they looked sharply at one another.

"A call to battle!" murmured Joe.

"Actual fighting?" added his chum wonderingly.

"Perhaps I'd better explain a bit," went on