dy to serve, when a step was
heard out in the hall of the apartment house where the DeVere family had
their New York home.

"There's daddy!" exclaimed Alice.

"And just in time," added Ruth, as she poured the boiling water on the
tea, adding to the fragrant food perfumes that now filled the apartment.

The key clicked in the lock, the door opened, and a rather imposing
figure of a man entered, laying aside his hat and light overcoat, for
the Spring day was a bit chilly.

"Hello, Daddy!" called Alice, putting up her face to be kissed, as she
came in from the kitchen with a plate of delicately browned toast.
"You're just in time. And it's such a _lovely_ rarebit!"

"That's good, my dear."

"Oh, Father, how hoarse you are!" cried Ruth. "Is your throat bad
again?"

"Well, this harbor dampness isn't just the best medicine for it. But I
shall spray it, and it will be better."

He sank somewhat wearily into a chair as he spoke, and Ruth glided over
to him.

"Daddy," she said, "you look worried. Has anything happened? Is anything
wrong at the moving picture studio?"

"No, nothing wrong, but--"

It was evident that something out of the usual had occurred. Even
light-hearted Alice sensed it.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing so much," her father said in weary tones. "I suppose I
shouldn't make such a fuss over it. But Mr. Pertell has finally decided
to film the great marine drama, and that means we shall have to go out
on the water, more or less. And with my sore throat that isn't just the
best thing in the world for me."

"A marine drama!" cried Alice. "Oh, I shall just love _that_!"

A look of worry still clouded Mr. DeVere's face.

"Father, there is something else," insisted Ruth. "You haven't told us
all about this sea film."

"No, I--I haven't," he said. "And, to tell the truth, I'd rather we
weren't going to be in that marine drama."

CHAPTER II

JACK JEPSON

Hosmer DeVere's words and manner alike were alarming to his daughters.
Seldom had they seen him so moved, especially over such a seemingly
simple matter as the announcement of a new moving picture drama. He and
the girls, in common with the other members of the Comet Film Company,
had to portray many different scenes in the course of a season's work,
and though some of it was distasteful, it was seldom objected to by
anyone, unless perhaps by Pepper Sneed, the "grouch," or perhaps by Mr.
Wellington Bunn, an actor of the old sch