o
which she had stepped.

Only a moment did she delay--just long enough to select the most
promising log in the smother of foam and water before her. Then she
leaped outward, striking down with the pike-staff and sinking its sharp
point in the log to which she jumped.

Behind her the timbers poured down the bluff, landed on their
splintering ends on the rocks, and then--many of them--pitched their
long lengths into the angry river.

The spray flew yards high. It curtained, indeed, all that occurred for
the next few moments upon this side of the stream. However much the
scene, arranged by Jim Hooley might need the attention of the moving
picture makers, here was a greater and more dangerous happening, in
which Ruth Fielding was the leading participant!

CHAPTER XX

GOOD NEWS

Tragedy was very dose indeed at that moment to the girl of the Red Mill.
Many adventures had touched Ruth nearly; but nothing more perilous had
threatened her than this.

She balanced herself on the rushing log with the help of the peavey. She
was more than ordinarily sure-footed. But if the log she rode chanced to
be hit by one of the falling timbers loosened from their station on top
of the bluff--that would be the end of the incident, and the end of the
girl as well!

Perhaps it was well that Helen and Jennie could no longer see their
chum. The curtain of spray thrown up by the plunging logs from above hid
the whole scene for several minutes.

Then out of the turmoil on the river shot the log on which Ruth stood,
appearing marvelously to her friends on the other bank.

"Ruth! Ruth Fielding!" shrieked Helen, so shrilly that her voice really
could be heard. "Are you alive?"

Ruth waved one hand. She held her balance better now. She shot a glance
behind and saw Wonota in the canoe coming down the rapids amid the snags
and drifting debris--a wonderful picture!

Jim Hooley, almost overcome by the shock and fright, suddenly beheld his
two camera men cranking steadily--as unruffled as though all this uproar
and excitement was only the usual turmoil of the studio!

"Bully, boys!" the director shouted. "Keep at it!" Then through the
megaphone: "Eyes on the camera, Wonota! Your lover is in the water--you
must save him! Nobody else can reach him There! He's going down again!
Bend forward--look at him--at the camera! That's it! When he appears
again that log is going to hit him if you do not swerve the canoe in
between the log and