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 r