the force of education which becomes second nature
with men, that even in the midst of all this confusion the manager
could think to bawl out to the operator not to neglect to get all this
in his reel, as it was going to show what actual perils the actors
ran in making their pictures.

Another queer thing happened that must be set down. Hugh actually
forgot he was only a boy, and had been given no authority over these
men. He saw that the first to arrive on the scene acted as though
ignorant of the best way to go about rescuing the poor chaps who were
partly buried under all that wreckage of the fallen wall.

So what did he do but begin to order them about as though they were
slaves. He told a couple of them off to lift a heavy stone from the
lower limbs of a man who seemed to be unconscious, and then there
came Arthur actually directing them how to raise the wounded super
and carry him to where he could be laid under the nearest tree.

Stranger still the men did just as they were bidden. In moments like
this the stronger mind dominates the situation, regardless of age or
stature. Those supers were in the habit of taking orders, and never
stopped to question when told to follow out a line of work, especially
when the command came in a tone of authority.

That was the remarkable picture that met the eye of the stage manager
when he presently reached the scene. Hugh seemed to be telling the
others what to do as if all his life he had been accustomed to the
position of chief. No wonder the experienced manager stared at the
boy who wore the faded suit of khaki, and even allowed a faint smile
to wreathe his lips; for did he not have a beloved lad like that at
home, and in his heart he felt that perhaps some day, in a time of
desperate necessity, his son might likewise rise to an occasion as
this young chap was doing.

There was no lack of eager workers, and they seemed to fall in with
whatever Hugh told them to do. He pointed this way and that as he
directed them to dig in the mass of debris for any unfortunate who
might be buried quite out of sight. And not once did it enter into
the head of the earnest lad that the machine close by was clicking
away merrily through it all, showing everything that was being done
in the shadow of a real tragedy. Here was realism for fair!

Already three poor chaps had been either carried off or assisted.
There were two of them grunting as though quite badly injured. Arthur,