an't do anything from this point!" finally complained Russ Dalwood,
who was at the machine. "I've spoiled about a hundred feet of film now.
We'll have to get around that point."

"All right," agreed Mr. Pertell, "but the scenery isn't so good there."

But when one difficulty was disposed of another one was found. Mr. Bunn
made trouble when he was asked to do a certain "fall" in the water. He
complained that he did not want to spoil his tall hat.

"Oh, you and your tall hat!" impatiently exclaimed the manager. "Go on
with that scene, I tell you!"

"But I--er--I--" expostulated the old actor.

Before he could make further objection a mist of heavy spray dashed over
him, thoroughly wetting his beloved hat.

"There!" cried Mr. Pertell. "Your tile is spoiled anyhow, now go on and
fall in. It can't get any wetter!"

"Oh, what a life! What a life!" groaned the "Ham" actor, but he went
through the "business." Perhaps he realized that other engagements were
not any too plentiful for men of his talent.

Nor did Ruth and Alice have an easy time. They had to scramble over
rocks, they had to escape from smugglers, they had to hide in caves,
and once Alice had to fall down on the rocks, and pretend to be hurt. It
was a very real fall, too, and she did not have to make much of a
pretense at limping.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Paul Ardite, hastening to her side. "Shall
I carry you?" he asked eagerly.

"No indeed. I'm all right. I just----"

"Keep back there, Paul! Keep back!" cried Mr. Pertell. "Don't get in
range and spoil the picture. That's fine, Miss DeVere. It's very
natural--that limp!"

"It ought to be!" murmured Alice, biting her lips to keep back an
exclamation of pain. "It's real enough, especially the pain."

Moving picture acting is not all as easy as it seems.

CHAPTER IX

THE RISING TIDE

"Well, that's very good, so far," said Mr. Pertell, when there came a
lull in the taking of the preliminary scenes of the marine film. "A
little more life wouldn't have hurt any, but the conditions aren't just
the best. It was fairly well done."

"Huh! Fairly well done!" exclaimed Pepper Sneed. "I wonder what he
wants, anyhow? I nearly broke my neck scrambling over those rocks, and
the skin is all gone from the palms of my hands, and all he says is that
it was 'fairly well done!' I wonder what he wants, anyhow?"

"Ha! He vants dot you shouldt altogedder preak your neck, ain't it?" put
in Mr. Switzer. "D