geon was
doing fine work, of which no one need be ashamed.

And all of this remarkable happening was being faithfully recorded
upon the rapidly shifting thousand feet of film in the hopper of the
machine, to later on astonish gaping crowds with a faithful delineation
of the perils attending the ordinary life of a motion-picture player.

CHAPTER XII

WHEN SWORDS CLASHED

"I wonder if that winds up the whole show?" asked Billy Worth, a short
time later, as Alec and Monkey Stallings joined him, while there was
an unusual bustle among the numerous retinue of the hard-working
stage manager.

"Not on your life, Billy," observed Alec, "though I'm all in myself
so far as taking any more wonderful pictures goes, because I've used
my last film, which I consider hard luck. Hugh just told me the worst
is yet to come."

"What! are they going to make out to burn the old castle down? Is that
worrying you, Alec?" asked the Stallings boy.

"Sure it is," frankly confessed Alec. "Of course, the fire will be
a whole lot of a fake; that is, much smoke, and no real danger to the
girl shut up in that high turret room; but, all the same, it's going
to do considerable harm to the building, which may queer it for Aunt
Susan's purposes."

"Well, what can you say?" demanded Billy. "These people have put
up the money to cover any damage they may do, and money talks every
time. Here comes Hugh back to tell us what the programme is. He's
just left that hustler of a director, and the chances are Hugh knows
all about it, because he's made a big hit with the manager."

"Hugh always does make people look up to him, somehow," mused Alec,
as though it often puzzled him to know just how the other managed it.

"There, Arthur has joined him, too, and is coming along," Billy went
on to say. "He's about finished helping the doctor take care of the
wounded yeomen who had the bad luck to be caught when that treacherous
old wall caved in."

The scout master, accompanied by Arthur, quickly joined them, to be
greeted by a shower of eager questions.

"I can tell you all about it, fellows," said Hugh, making as if to
ward off an attack. "Mr. Jefferson, the manager, says he figures
on completing his work in the one visit, and has made all necessary
preparations. It's a tremendous job to fetch his big company all
the way from New York up here. If they make good to-day they expect
to go back in the morning, or perhaps to-night, if they c