Thereupon the manager explained that he would turn the police to good advantage, and have them interfere in the attack, only to be outdone by the "villains." "It's only fair for you to do this, as you came in where you weren't needed and nearly spoiled the picture," the manager said. Whether it was this appeal to justice and fair play, or because he and his men were anxious to get into a moving picture, was not made clear; but the captain and the policemen consented to do their parts. There was a little coaching, something of a rehearsal and then that scene went on again, with Ruth and Alice "fleeing" from the pursuers, and the police charging downhill after the men. Then followed the improvised scene, of an attack by the police, and a repulse by the "villains." "Good! That's great!" cried Mr. Pertell. "It will be better than I thought it would. This is fine!" "Ha! Yes, maybe for you, but look at my eye!" cried Mr. Pepper Sneed. "Look at it!" "Well, what's the matter with it?" asked Mr. Pertell. "It's a little red, that's all I can see." The taking of pictures had stopped for the time being. "A little red! A little!" fairly howled the grouch. "Say it will be black and blue tomorrow. One of those policeman hit me in the eye with his elbow. It was an awful blow. I shouldn't wonder but that I went blind. Never again will I take part in anything as tough as this. I know I'll be laid up for a week," and with this gloomy thought he limped off, for he had been rather roughly handled in the melee. "I wonder if that's all for us today?" asked Alice, as she saw Russ taking the legs off his camera. "Why, are you tired?" asked Ruth, solicitously. "A little, yes. I shall be glad when we get out to sea." "Perhaps we may have even harder work than this," suggested Ruth, for the race along shore had not been easy. "A shipwreck isn't going to be any society drama, Alice." "I know," agreed the younger girl. "But I think we shall like it." Neither of them realized what was in store for them. CHAPTER XII OVERHEARD "Well, I think this will do," Mr. Pertell announced, as the members of his company gathered on the shore of the Hudson, ready to go back to the larger boat, whence they had come in the two small ones, to depict the pursuit. "It came out better than I expected when I saw that crowd of policemen charging down on us." "I thought sure we were in for a spell in the lock-up," remarked one of the extra men engaged as a member of the "pursuing villains." "You had a little extra work, doing part of the scene over again, so we'll give you all a little bonus," said the manager. "We'll get back to the studio now. There are a few scenes I want to make before we start off on our trip to sea." "How soon do we go?" asked Alice. "As soon as we can get stocked up. Captain Brisco has a few little repairs to make to the schooner, I believe."