ok advantage of the delay to send back, by
express, the film he had made of the collision, at the same time
telegraphing the manager of the film studio to expect the reel.

The journey to Beatonville was then taken up again, and proceeded
without further accident. The train was somewhat delayed, and when it
drew up at the small station Ruth, Alice and the others looked out
eagerly to see what sort of place it was.

"It isn't as bad as you said, Russ!" exclaimed Ruth. "I see two
houses, anyhow."

"Not many more, though," he answered, with a laugh.

Beatonville was a typical country railroad town, and quite a crowd of
depot loungers gathered around as the theatrical company alighted.

As the train went on its way again Alice caught a glimpse of Mrs.
Delamont at one of the windows in the parlor car. The owner of the
missing Rex III waved her hand in friendly farewell to the girl.

"I wish I could find her dog," thought Alice. "It's too bad to have a
pet and lose him."

"I don't like dogs!" exclaimed Ruth. "I'm always afraid they'll bite
me."

Alice laughed at her sister's nervousness.

"There's Sandy!" exclaimed Russ, pointing to a young farmer who was
holding the heads of two horses attached to a large "carryall."

"Come on!" called Mr. Pertell to his players. "I expect you're all
hungry, on account of the delay. Have you anything to eat out at your
place?" he called to Sandy.

"Yep. Ma's been bakin' an' cookin' for th' last week!" was the
comforting answer. "We're all ready for you. I'm going to take you
over in this rig, and I've got another wagon for your trunks and
stuff. Have a good journey?"

"Good! Bah! A smash-up!" growled Mr. Sneed. "But we might have
expected it--starting out on track thirteen."

"Yah! But ve are all right now, alretty yet!" laughed Mr. Switzer.

Ruth, Alice and the others looked about them with interest. It was a
typical country landscape--a little valley nestling amid the green
hills.

"Oh, I know I'm going to like it here," murmured Ruth. "It is so
restful!"

"Restful! Yes! I should say it was!" exclaimed Pearl Pennington, as
she bent a stick of chewing gum, preparatory to enjoying it. "I know
what I'll do, all right!"

"What, dear?" asked her friend Laura Dixon, with lazy interest.
"What'll you do?"

"I'll be going back to little old New York in about a week. This
place has got on my nerves already. Ugh! Isn't it quiet!"

It certainly was, after the departure of the