. Pertell said he
wanted pictures of a siege of a fort, and he sent for a big gun to get
explosive effects. Come on over!"

"And be blown to pieces?" objected Ruth. "Don't dare go, Alice DeVere!"

"Oh, come on! There's no danger. Russ is going to make the films. I
guess they're just trying it now. It's too late to make good pictures.
Come on."

"I'll go," offered Estelle. "I don't mind the noise."

Ruth declined to go, so the other two girls set off. On the porch they
met Russ and Paul, who confirmed their guess that it was a big siege gun
which Mr. Pertell had sent to New York to get, so he might show the
effect of explosive shells.

"I'm going to film some to-morrow," Russ said.

"Be careful," urged Alice. "Don't get blown up!"

"I'm no more anxious for that than any one," laughed Russ, and together
they set off toward the place where the big gun was being tried out.

CHAPTER XX

A WRONG SHOT

The big gun which Mr. Pertell had secured to make more realistic the war
play he was preparing for the films, was an old fashioned siege rifle,
made toward the close of the Civil conflict. It had not been used more
than a few times, and then it had been stored away in some arsenal. The
director, hearing of it, had secured it to fire at a certain hill on Oak
Farm.

This hill would, in the motion pictures, form a stronghold of the
Southern forces and it would be demolished by shells from the large
cannon, and then would follow a charge on the part of the Union
soldiers.

Real shells, with large explosive charges in them, would be used, but it
is needless to say that when the shots were fired at the hill the
players taking the parts of the Southerners would be at a safe distance.

"They're just trying it out now," observed Russ, who with Paul, was
walking over the fields with Alice and Estelle. "Mr. Pertell wants to
get the range, and decide on the best places from which to make the
pictures. I think we'll film some to-morrow if it's a good day."

"What's the matter with your eyes, Estelle?" asked Paul, as he looked at
her. "Were you working in the studio to-day? I know those lights always
affect my sight."

"Why, no, I wasn't in the studio," and then Estelle realized why her
eyes were so inflamed--it was from crying. She gave Alice a meaning
glance, as though to enjoin silence, but she need have had no fears.
Alice would not betray the secret.

The big gun had been mounted on a level piece of land, not