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The Moving Picture Girls at Sea: A Pictured Shipwreck That Became Real, a novel by Laura Lee Hope |
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Chapter 12. Overheard |
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_ CHAPTER XII. OVERHEARD "Well, I think this will do," Mr. Pertell announced, as the members of his company gathered on the shore of the Hudson, ready to go back to the larger boat, whence they had come in the two small ones, to depict the pursuit. "It came out better than I expected when I saw that crowd of policemen charging down on us." "I thought sure we were in for a spell in the lock-up," remarked one of the extra men engaged as a member of the "pursuing villains." "You had a little extra work, doing part of the scene over again, so we'll give you all a little bonus," said the manager. "We'll get back to the studio now. There are a few scenes I want to make before we start off on our trip to sea." "How soon do we go?" asked Alice. "As soon as we can get stocked up. Captain Brisco has a few little repairs to make to the schooner, I believe." "Do you think the _Mary Ellen_ will prove to be a safe boat in which to go to sea?" asked Mr. DeVere, when he, with his daughters, and the others, were on their way back to New York. "Why not?" asked the manager. "Well, I heard Jack Jepson say the schooner was a pretty old one," replied the veteran actor. "So she is," said Mr. Pertell, "if she hadn't been, our company never could have afforded to buy her just to make a shipwreck of her. But she is perfectly safe for what traveling we shall do. Brisco has assured me of that, and has seen to it. What sort of a yarn was Jepson giving you?" and Mr. Pertell seemed a bit annoyed. "Well, he merely said that the schooner was a pretty old one," went on Mr. DeVere, "and that she had seen her best days." "He didn't say that she was unsafe, did he?" "No, oh, no! Nothing like that!" exclaimed the actor quickly. "I was just wondering about her. I shouldn't like to take any chances you know," and he glanced over toward his daughters who had no part in this conversation. "Oh, the _Mary Ellen_ will be as safe as is necessary," the manager continued. "Besides we will be in Southern waters after we leave here, and there will be little danger from storms." "I am glad of that," Mr. DeVere said. "A warm Southern clime will be beneficial to my throat. It does not take kindly to our Northern weather, even at the best." In the days that followed there was plenty of work for the moving picture girls in the film studio. They had to take part in several little dramas that had to be completed before the sea scenes in the ocean play were undertaken. "Anything much to do this afternoon?" asked Russ of Ruth as he passed her near her dressing room one day about a week after the episode of the mistaken policemen. "No, I am free," she announced. "They have postponed that 'In the Slums' and I'm glad of it. I don't care for such characters as I have to assume in a play like that." "Nor I. I'm off for the afternoon, too. What do you say we take Alice, and go for a little trip to the Erie Basin?" "To see the _Mary Ellen_ again? There can't be much change since we saw her last." "No, not exactly to see her, though we could pay a visit if we liked. But you know we are to have a big motorboat follow us in the ocean scenes--I'm to take pictures from it, in fact--and that motorboat--the _Ajax_--is over in the Basin, near the old schooner. I thought maybe you'd like to take a look at her." "I would!" exclaimed Ruth with enthusiasm. "I'll tell Alice. She is disengaged, I know, for I heard Mr. Pertell tell her so." "I'm sorry we can't go for a trip in her," went on Russ, "but she isn't in shape yet. I have to go over to give some directions about building a platform for setting the camera on, and I thought we might combine business and pleasure." "It will be a pleasure to go," said Ruth, as she went off to find her sister. "Tell Paul, too, if you see him," Russ called after her. "We'll make a party of it." "All right," Ruth answered. She found Paul and Alice together--just as she half expected--and mentioned Russ's plan. Paul was cast for a role in a little play that afternoon, but he spoke to Mr. Pertell about it, and the manager kindly postponed it, as it was not very important. So, after lunch the four young people started for the place where the _Ajax_ was being overhauled, not far from the dock of the _Mary Ellen_. On the way they talked of their plans when they should be at sea. It had been given out at the studio that they would all go aboard the _Mary Ellen_, which would be headed for the Florida coast. Somewhere off that peninsula, just where had not been decided, the moving pictures would be made, and the shipwreck would take place. The details had not yet been perfected. "Are you going to travel alone in the motorboat?" asked Alice of Russ. "No indeed. She is to be carried in a cradle on the deck of the _Mary Ellen_, and----" "A cradle!" interrupted Alice. "Whoever heard of a boat being put in a cradle, as if it were a baby!" "Well, the _Ajax_ is going to be rocked in the cradle of the deep, isn't she?" asked Paul. "Oh, what a heartless joke!" mocked Ruth. "Just for that you'll be fined four ice cream sodas!" laughed Alice. "No, but speaking seriously," went on Russ, "the _Ajax_ will be cradled on the deck of the schooner; that is, the motorboat will be set in two V shaped affairs, called cradles. That's to prevent her rolling off into the high seas." "Do you think it will be rough?" asked Ruth, with an apprehensive look over her shoulder, as though she already saw a "hurricane in the offing," as her sister laughingly put it. "Well, you know we have to wait for a storm, to get some of the scenes," Russ said. "Of course the weather often gets pretty bad in these Southern waters, in spite of their peaceful name," he continued, "but I don't suppose Mr. Pertell will venture out far from the harbor in a bad blow. Even a little wind will kick up enough sea to make it look pretty rough in a picture." "Oh, I don't mind a storm!" exclaimed Alice. "I just love it." "Oh--Alice!" cried her sister. "You know you'll be as frightened as I'll be." "We'll see," challenged the younger girl with sparkling eyes and a flush on her cheeks. They found the _Ajax_, after some little difficulty, among a score of other boats, in process of repair. "Oh, what a big one!" exclaimed Alice as she caught sight of the craft. "I do hope you'll give us a ride in her, Russ." "Of course I shall, between times of taking pictures," he promised. "What do you think of her, Paul?" "Pretty fine," agreed the young actor. "Has she any speed?" "Not much, I guess. It's an old sort of tub, but pretty steady in the water, Mr. Pertell said. That's what I want for taking pictures. It won't do to have her rolling and pitching. Well, let's go aboard, and see how they're coming on." Russ had a permit to view the craft, and as he was expected to give some instructions regarding the building of the platform, the man in charge of the overhauling work welcomed the four young people. The _Ajax_ was, as Russ had said, rather a tub, but it was a large, comfortable boat, and was capable of going on quite a cruise. There was a partially enclosed cabin, and many comforts and conveniences. But just for the present purpose, everything was being subordinated to the taking of moving pictures. "I'm readjusting the motor," the head of the repair gang told Russ, "so she'll start and stop, as well as reverse easily and quickly. That's what you want, isn't it?" "That's it, yes. You see I can't tell when I'll have to shift, to make allowances for what the actors and actresses will do. There's no telling about these moving picture people," and Russ gave Ruth and Alice, as well as Paul, a laughing look as though to indicate that they were very temperamental, and hard to get along with. "Are these some of the actor folks?" asked the mechanic who was laboring over the motor. "That's what they are, and good ones, too!" cried Russ. "Gee! They don't look it!" was the frank remark, and the two girls broke into peals of laughter. Paul and Russ showed Ruth and Alice over the big motorboat, and then leaving the three to their own devices for a while, the young camera operator went into details of the work with the head mechanic. Russ was told that the _Ajax_ would be ready in plenty of time for him. He expressed himself as satisfied with the progress made, though he made one or two slight changes in the platform, built on the forward deck of the craft, where he was to stand when he took the pictures of the shipwreck. "Well, how about those sodas now?" asked Russ of his companions when he had finished. "There's a nice place a few blocks up, and it's about warm enough for ice cream." "Couldn't we take just a look at the _Mary Ellen_ while we are here?" asked Alice. "Isn't that she, over there?" and she pointed across the basin. "You speak of that ship as if she were a person," objected Ruth. "And so she is!" Alice exclaimed. "A ship is always a lady, isn't she, Paul?" "She ought to try to be, at least," he laughed. "How about it, Russ? Shall we take the girls over to the schooner?" "Might as well, I guess. It won't take long, and it isn't far." A short time later the four of them stood at the gangplank of the _Mary Ellen_. They saw no signs of any men on deck, but they were doubtless below, making the repairs, which must be nearly finished. "Come on," said Russ, leading the way. "We'll go aboard." As they stood on deck, looking about them, they saw no one, but the companionway was in plain sight, and they started toward it, intending to go down into the main cabin. The place was rather dimly lighted, but when their eyes had become used to the gloom, they caught sight of a solitary figure in the forward end of the main compartment. "It's Jack Jepson," whispered Alice to her companions. "We'll give him a surprise. Keep quiet now. His back is toward me and I'll tiptoe up behind him and put my hands over his eyes. I'll make him guess who it is. He'll think some British suffragette has taken him on that silly charge of mutiny," she went on. "Be careful," admonished Ruth. "No pranks, Alice." "This isn't a prank. Keep quiet now." The old sailor was evidently not aware that visitors were in the cabin, for they had made little noise in descending the companion stairs, and what little they had caused was drowned by the distant noise of carpenters' hammers. As Alice advanced, the others remaining back in the semi-darkness, they all heard Jack Jepson break into a sort of monologue. He was talking to himself, in fashion something like this. "It ought to be hereabouts, if it's anywhere, and I'm sure it is. I can't be mistaken. They have cut her down, and made a lot of changes, but they can't fool me. I was suspicious when I first came aboard, and I'm more so every minute. I'm going to find out for sure, while I have the chance. Let me think now." He leaned up against a bulkhead, while Alice glanced back at her friends in some surprise. What meant the words they had overheard? The old sailor seemed strangely excited, and he was passing his hand over the paneling of the cabin as though in search of something long forgotten, or dimly remembered. A moment later another step was heard in the apartment, and Captain Brisco entered. He started at the sight of Jepson, though the commander had not yet seen the four young people. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a hoarse voice. The old salt started back as though caught in some guilty act. _ |
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