"Oh, he might be some tramp. There's been chicken thieves around lately, and maybe he was lookin' for a chance to sneak into our hen-house." "Well, I guess you've scared him off, at any rate," said the manager. "There's an idea for a film," said Paul, with a laugh. "We can have a chicken-stealing. The thief gets caught in a bear trap, and can't get loose--farmer comes out with gun--chase over the fields and all that." "Good!" cried Mr. Pertell. "We'll try something of that sort. I'm glad you mentioned it." "Gosh!" exclaimed Sandy, admiringly. "You fellers would make a picture out of anything, I guess." "That's what we would!" laughed Mr. Pertell. They came back from the unsuccessful man hunt, and soon quiet settled down over Oak Farm. "I only wish I could help them," mused Mr. Pertell as he retired. Yet he was destined to help them, and in a most surprising manner. Yielding to the wish of Sandy, Paul and the manager said nothing the next morning of the chase after the man. "It might only worry pa and ma," said the kind-hearted but simple-minded young farmer. "And they've got troubles enough as it is." "They certainly have," agreed Mr. Pertell. "Nothing was disturbed last night, though; was there?" "No, all th' hens seem to be around. I can't imagine who that fellow was. He must have had a guilty conscience, or he wouldn't have run when I hailed him," Sandy said. The day was given over, on the part of the manager and Russ, to selecting the most favorable spots for the taking of scenes in the rural dramas. A good background, and places where the lighting effects would be proper for exposing the films, were essentials. Some scenes were to be laid in the village proper, and when the moving picture manager and his photographer went about, making notes of likely spots, they were watched curiously by the village loungers. Mr. Pertell paid a visit to Squire Blasdell in reference to getting permission to burn the old barn on the Apgar place. "Well, you can do it if you pay me my price," said the crabbed man, who was a local judge and lawyer, acting for several clients. The price was sufficiently high, Mr. Pertell thought, but he had no choice. "That's a valuable barn!" said the squire. "It's only fit for kindling wood," protested the manager. "And that's what I propose to use it for." "Well, it's a sin to burn down a building like that," went on the squire. "But this is a queer world, anyhow. And I want my money in advance." He was so unpleasant about the matter that, after arranging for the destruction of the barn, Mr. Pertell left without carrying out his half-formed resolution of asking for more time for the payment of the Apgar mortgage.