th its back a short distance, causing
Ruth and Alice to scream as their craft careened, and then vanished for
good.

"Oh, thank goodness! It's gone!" gasped Ruth.

Their boat began to drop down stream, until the dragging anchor caught
and held it. Russ now ceased to work the camera.

"I don't know just how we can incorporate that scene in this drama," he
admitted; "but I suppose Mr. Pertell can find a way. He generally does.
Now, if you girls are up to it, we'll finish with the regular play. I'll
have to slip in some new film, though."

"Oh, I guess we can go on, after we quiet down a bit," Ruth said, and a
little later she and her sister, with Paul, went through with the
business of the play as originally laid down in the scenario.

"What a strange experience!" observed Ruth, as they were returning to the
steamer.

"Wasn't it?" agreed Alice.

Mr. Pertell, after properly sympathizing with the girls, declared himself
delighted with the unexpected film of the manatee.

"I tell you we didn't make any mistake coming to Florida," he said.
"We'll get pictures here that no other company can touch."

And later this was found to be so, for the films made under the palms
created quite a sensation when shown in New York.

Mr. DeVere, as usual, was somewhat perturbed when he learned what his
daughters had gone through, and again expressed his doubts as to the
advisability of keeping them in moving picture work.

"Oh, but that might have happened to anyone--if we were out after
orchids, instead of being filmed," protested Alice. "I don't ever want to
think of giving up this work."

"Nor do I!" added Ruth, with more energy than she usually exhibited.

The players were out in the palm forest. It was several days after the
episode of the manatee, and the steamer, with a plentiful supply of wood
fuel, had gone up another sluggish stream, some miles farther on.

Quite an elaborate drama was to be filmed and the "full strength of the
company," as Paul laughingly said, was required. Even little Tommy and
Nellie were to used in some of the scenes.

"Isn't it wild and desolate in here?" remarked Ruth, with a little
shudder as they penetrated deeper and deeper into the forest, for Mr.
Pertell wanted a certain background.

"It _is_ lonesome," agreed Alice. "Whenever I get to a place like this I
think of those two missing girls."

"So do I! Isn't it too bad about them? I wonder if they can have been
found by this time?"