Part 23 (1/2)

”Well, I'll stay here with you a little while,” Ruth agreed. ”Then I'm going below and----”

”Bundle up all your possessions and sit on a life preserver,” broke in Alice with a laugh. ”Oh, Ruth, you are--hopeless!”

”Yes, but look at that!” and the older sister pointed to the west. There had been a rapid change. There was more yellow in the clouds now and less blackness, though there was enough of that ominous color too.

”Doesn't it scare you, Alice?”

”Not so much, no. Of course I've never been in a bad storm down here, and I don't know what they do to one. But I think we'll weather it, as the sailors say. But I wonder what Mr. Pertell is doing?”

She motioned to the manager who was seen amids.h.i.+ps, talking to Russ, the chief camera operator. They were near the big motorboat _Ajax_, which still rested in the cradle on deck.

Mr. DeVere was also in conversation with the manager and his chief helper.

”Let's go over and see what it is,” suggested Alice. ”Maybe they are frightened too.”

”I wouldn't blame them,” murmured Ruth, with a nervous glance over her shoulder at the oncoming storm.

The two girls joined their father and the others. Pop Snooks, the property man, who could make almost anything from a brick wall to a king's palace, on short notice, was called into the consultation.

”I'm sure they're going to do something!” Alice exclaimed, as she noticed Mr. Pertell beckon Captain Brisco to him. And when the girls reached the group they learned what was afoot.

”Why yes, you'd have time for some pictures before the storm gets here,”

Captain Brisco was saying. ”It's evidently going to be slow in breaking.”

”And it wouldn't be too rough for the motorboat?” asked Mr. Pertell.

”Oh, no. She's built dory fas.h.i.+on, and bigger waves than these wouldn't swamp her. It's a question though, if your man is game.”

”Oh, don't worry about me!” exclaimed Russ Dalwood. ”I'll make pictures as long as the light will hold good. How is the boat? Is she all ready to start?”

”All ready to put into the water,” the captain a.s.sured him. ”She has been that way since we reached this locality. What do you say?” he asked the manager. ”Shall we lower away?”

”I think so,” was the answer from Mr. Pertell. ”I want to get some views of the schooner sailing off before the storm. It will be a sort of introduction to the s.h.i.+pwreck that is to come later.”

”All right!” exclaimed Russ. ”That suits me. I'll get the camera and films ready. I'll need a helper.”

”Oh, of course,” agreed the manager. ”You can't manage the boat and the engine and work the camera too. Grinding away at the film will keep you busy, especially as the water's a bit rough.”

”A _bit_ rough!” exclaimed Russ with a smile. ”I like the way you say it. But the rougher it is the better effect we'll get on the film. I'll be ready when you are, Captain Brisco.”

”All right, I'll have the boat over at once,” and the commander gave the necessary orders for lowering the _Ajax_ over the side. This had been provided for when she was cradled, so there was little delay at this task.

”Are we to do any 'stunts,' while Russ is taking pictures?” asked Alice of the manager.

”No, you are just to stand around on deck, and look a bit anxious. You are supposed to be an old-time pa.s.senger packet you know, on a long voyage, and you are running away from the storm. We don't want many feet of this film--just enough to indicate what is to come. The real s.h.i.+pwreck--that is the imitation of it--will come later, when this storm blows over. Get on the side where the motorboat will be,” the manager directed, ”and line up along the rail.”

While Russ was ”loading” his camera, Ruth and Alice watched the sailors getting the _Ajax_ ready. The engine had been tested, and seemed to work well. Jack Jepson came along with a small keg of water, and a bundle done up in a piece of sail cloth.

”What's that for?” asked Alice.