the profits in real money could ever quite balance
that other scene when all the Happy Family had in the world went in the
pot and they mourned because it was so little.

"Aw, I betche Luck robbed a bank er something!" Happy Jack stuttered
with an awkward attempt to conceal his delight when his name was
called, his investment was read and the little sheaf of currency that
represented his profit was laid in his outstretched palm.

"It's me for the movies if this is the way they pan out," Weary declared
gleefully. "Mamma! I didn't know there was so much money in the world!"

"I'll bet he milked Los Angeles dry of paper money," Andy Green asserted
facetiously, thumbing his small fortune gloatingly. "Holding out
anything for yourself, Luck? We don't want to be hogs."

"I'm taking care of my interests--don't you worry about that a minute,"
Luck stated complacently. "I held mine out first. That wipes the
slate--and cleans up the bank-roll. I maintain The Phantom Herd
was so-o-ome picture, boys. They'll be getting it here in 'Querque
soon--we'll all go in and see it."

"Now we're all set for a fresh start. And while you're all here I'll
just put you up to date on what kind of a deal I made with Dewitt. We
come in under the wing of Excelsior, and our brand name will be Flying
U Feature Film--how does that hit you? You boys are all on a straight
board-and-salary basis--thirty dollars a week, and it's up to me to
make you earn it!" He grinned and beckoned to Jean Douglas Avery and her
companions in the next room.

"Mrs. Avery, here, is our leading woman--keeping the name of Jean
Douglas, since she made it valuable in that Lazy A serial she did a
year or so ago. Lite is on the same footing as the rest of you boys.
Her father will be my assistant in choosing locations and so on. Tommy
Johnson, as I said, is another assistant in another capacity, that of
scenic artist and stage carpenter. Pete Lowry, here, is camera man and
Bill Holmes will be his assistant. The rest of you work wherever I need
you--a good deal the way we did last winter. Annie-Many-Ponies stays
with us as character lead and is in general stock. Rosemary--" he
stopped and smiled at her understandingly--"Rosemary draws fifteen a
week--oh, don't get scared! I won't give you any foreground stuff!
just atmosphere when I need it, and general comforter and mascot of the
company!"

Luck may have stretched a point there, but if he did it was merely a
technical one.