ll ready now--begin."

So the filming of that scene went on.

"Very good," complimented the manager. "Just a little more force there,
Paul. Wait a minute, Russ. Do that one bit over."

The scene was started over again, but it had proceeded only a minute or
so before Russ gave an exclamation of annoyance.

"What's the matter?" asked Mr. Pertell.

"Spring broke," reported the operator. "I'll have to go get the other
camera, and it will take me half an hour to get it in shape."

"Well, we'll have time enough," Mr. Pertell said, with a look at the
sun, which is a sort of god to photographers. Without its beams little
can be done. "I'll go back and help you," said the manager who used to
be an expert operator himself before he rose in the ranks.

"You'll have to wait a bit," Russ called to Ruth, Alice and Paul. "Got
to fix another camera."

"All right. We'll stay here," announced Alice. "I don't want to make
that trip again with my lame ankle," and she sat down in a niche of the
rocks. The others followed her example. The minutes passed quickly in
pleasant talk, but presently Paul jumped to his feet. There was alarm in
his action.

"What's the matter?" asked Ruth, startled.

"Look!" he said. He pointed toward the shore. The path of rocks was
broken midway by a stretch of water. The tide had risen, cutting off the
retreat to the beach.

CHAPTER X

TOO MUCH REALISM

"Oh dear!" exclaimed Ruth. It seemed a silly, futile thing to say, but,
perhaps, very natural under the circumstances. Ruth arose, and put her
arms about her sister, who tottered a little as she stood upright.

"The tide has risen?" asked Alice, and her tone was questioning.

"That's what has happened," went on Paul. "Pshaw! I ought to have kept
watch of it. Russ was gone longer than I thought. But here we are now,
fairly caught."

"Can't we--can't we wade back to shore?" faltered Alice.

"I wouldn't like to have you try it," answered Paul, and he moved over
closer to the girl.

"Why not?" she asked. "I'm not at all afraid of getting wet, and it
can't be so very deep over those rocks--not yet."

"It isn't that you would get wet," Paul answered. "But the rocks were
slippery enough as they were. Covered with water, as they now are
between us and the shore, I'm afraid you'd slip off, especially as your
ankle will give you a twinge if you twist it."

"It certainly will," agreed Alice. "It hurts worse now. But oh! We must
get back to sh