"Another bug?" asked Mr. Pertell, and he was a bit sarcastic over it, for several little things had bothered him that day. "No, it's a snake! A snake! See, he's coming right for me!" and deserting the scene Miss Pennington made for a broad stump, upon which she jumped, screaming. "Snake! Call that a snake!" cried Russ, as he picked up a rather large and squirming angleworm. "Oh, put it down--the horrid thing!" begged Miss Dixon, who had joined her friend on the stump. "Poor little thing!" laughed Russ, as he tossed the worm into a clump of leaves. "Go home and tell your folks you scared two brave young ladies!" "Smarty!" exclaimed Miss Pennington, with a vindictive look at the moving picture operator, who had left his camera when the scene was broken up. Once again matters were arranged and the taking of the film went on as before. But that was a day destined to be fraught with adventures of more or less moment. In one scene Mr. Sneed had to pose as a wood chopper, and, to make it more realistic he was to fell a small tree. This action on his part had cost him no little time and trouble, for he was not proficient in the use of the axe. For several days the actor had had Sandy "coaching" him until he could do fairly well. "We'll try that tree-cutting scene now," said Mr. Pertell, after a bit. "Get ready for that, Russ. And, whatever you do, Mr. Sneed, don't have the tree fall on the camera. I don't want all the film spoiled." Soon all was in readiness for the final act of the day. Mr. Sneed swung his axe with vigorous strokes and the keen weapon bit deep into the wood. Alice and Ruth, who were acting with him, went through their parts in the little play. At times Mr. Sneed would pause to go through some other "business," and then resume his chopping. "Look out," warned Sandy Apgar, who was one of the characters in the act. "She'll fall in a minute." "Yes, get from under," advised Russ. "I'll get a good picture of the tree coming down." Mr. Sneed ran out of the way, as a cracking warned him that the tree was going to fall. It was not a large one, but it had very heavy and thick foliage. Crash! Down came the tree, and then followed a cry of alarm. "Ach! I am killet! I am caught under der tree!" "Great Scott! Another accident!" groaned Mr. Pertell. "This certainly is a hoodoo day!" and they all ran to where Mr. Switzer had been pinned. CHAPTER XVIII GOING TO SCHOOL Fortunately for the German actor, he had been far enough away when the tree came down, so that only the top part of it, consisting of little branches and leaves, fell on him. In fact, he was not even knocked down by the impact, but stood up right in the midst of the foliage, his frightened blue eyes and rumpled light hair standing out from amid the maze of green in a curious fashion. "Vot for you do dot to me?" demanded Mr. Switzer of the grouchy actor who had chopped the tree. "Dot vos not in the act; vos it, Mr. Pertell?"