The Moving Picture Girls Under the Palms: Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida — John Shaqi
The Moving Picture Girls Under the Palms: Or Lost in the Wilds of FloridaHope, Laura Lee
General
The Moving Picture Girls Under the Palms: Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida
Hope, Laura Lee
Florida -- Juvenile fiction; Girls -- Juvenile fiction; Motion pictures -- Production and direction -- Juvenile fiction
Then the young operator busied himself with making a film that was
afterward said to be one of the best in the world showing a rescue from a
burning ship. And the beauty of it was that it was real. There was no
posing, and the ship was not an old hulk chartered for the occasion, and
set fire to, as has been done more than once.
As the women and children were first helped to the boats, and the craft
then carefully lowered to the sea, Russ took picture after picture.
Fortunately the sea and weather were both calm, and, after the first
little fright, no one made any disturbance.
The boat containing Mr. Bunn and Mr. Sneed had returned part way to the
ship, the sailors having heard the explosions, and desiring to aid in the
work of saving the passengers if there was any need, for their craft
could hold many more.
But there was no need. There was ample room in the other boats, and, as
Captain Falcon had said, the explosions were really of little moment--at
least, for the present.
Boat after boat was loaded and lowered away, and not an accident marred
the work. True, Mrs. Maguire, in her anxiety to see that Nellie and Tommy
were safe, nearly fell overboard, but a burly sailor caught her just in
time.
"How are you coming on, Russ?" asked Mr. Pertell who, with Pop Snooks,
was seeing to the bringing up of the baggage, and the other property of
the moving picture company.
"Fine," answered the young operator. "This will be a great film!"
"Glad to hear it! It will be our turn soon."
"I'm going to stick till the last boat. I want to get all the views I
can."
Russ spoke simply, but he well knew the danger he ran in remaining until
the last boat was sent away. The ship might be in no real danger; even as
Captain Falcon had said; but, on the other hand, the fire might have
spread more than the commander realized. But Russ, like many another
picture operator, was not afraid to do his duty as he saw it, even in the
face of danger.
Suddenly a great shout arose.
"Wonder what's happened now?" remarked Mr. Pertell. He knew a moment
later, for the shout took to itself words:
"The ship!"
"The rescue ship!"
"There comes the _Bell_!"
Sweeping up through the mist came the ship that had responded to the
wireless calls for aid. On she came at full speed, and when she caught
sight of the _Tarsus_ she sent out a reassuring blast from her great
whistle. It was answered in kind.
"Now you're all right!" cried Captain Falcon over the side, to those in
the small boats. "Row the passengers over to her," he ordered the
sailors, "and then come back to your ship!"
"Aye, aye, sir!" was the answer. And be it said to the credit of those
sailors that not one of them shirked, or tried to desert, which might
have been easily forgiven in the face of the danger.
"I've got to get a picture of her!" cried Russ, as he focused the camera
on the oncoming ship. And a fine picture he obtained.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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