Alice was in one boat, well up in front beside the captain-owner, while Ruth occupied a similar position in the other craft. "You may start, if you please," said the manager, with a nod at Russ and another at the skippers. A moment later the air was filled with the thundering, rattling exhaust of the motors as the boats swept away from the float. The motor race was on. CHAPTER XI TO LAKE KISSIMMEE The staccato explosions of the motor boats, the cheers of the spectators, of whom there were many; the clicking of the camera operated by Russ, and the shouts of the picture-players themselves as they went through the "business" prescribed for this act of the play, made the scene a gay one. "This will make a fine film," declared Mr. Pertell, who was in the boat with Alice, Mr. Bunn, Mr. Sneed and Mr. DeVere. "I think so," agreed the latter. "I am glad we came to Florida." "Is your throat better?" the manager asked. "Indeed yes--much better. That is, it does not pain me, but I still retain my hoarseness, as you notice." "Yes, and I am selfish enough to wish that it will stay with you a little longer," the manager said. "That is, only so that you will not leave me and go back to the legitimate," he added, quickly. "For I want you in moving pictures. I have some other plans when we finish work here, and you and your daughters will be much needed." "I am glad you have such a good opinion of us," murmured the veteran actor. "Where are we going from here?" asked Alice. "That's a secret," laughed the manager. "I haven't it all worked out myself, as yet." The boats sped on, the rival skippers striving to gain the lead. The men in charge of the motors, too, did everything in their power, in the way of changing the gasoline mixture, or by means of copious oiling, to get one more revolution out of their engines. But the boats seemed very evenly matched. A big wave was thrown up on either bow of each boat. Russ, after getting pictures of the start, had gone with his camera, by a short cut, to a little promontory on shore, where he got other views of the boats racing through the water. Then he went farther on and, getting into another motor boat, took his place near the finish line, to film the end of the race. "Oh, I do hope we win!" exclaimed Alice, to her captain. "I'm going to do my best," he answered, grimly, as he glanced across to where the other boat was forging through the water. And in her boat Ruth was saying the same thing. Each skipper had been holding something in reserve in the way of power, and now the mechanicians were signalled to use this. The boats were nearing the finish line now, for the race, for the purpose of the moving pictures, was only a short one. But, as it happened, the captain of the boat Alice was in, got his signal a little ahead of his rival, so that he shot forward, and thus gained an advantage the other motor boat could not cut down.