[Illustration: THE CAMERAS WHIRRED WHILE THE BARGE PUSHED CLOSE INTOSHORE. "Ruth Fielding on the St. Lawrence. " Page 80]

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RUTH FIELDINGON THEST. LAWRENCE

OR

THE QUEER OLD MAN OFTHE THOUSAND ISLANDS

BYALICE B. EMERSON

Author of "Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill, " "RuthFielding in the Great Northwest, " "BettyGordon series, " etc. 

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORKCUPPLES & LEON COMPANYPUBLISHERS

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BOOKS FOR GIRLS

by ALICE B. EMERSON

RUTH FIELDING SERIES12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. 

RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILLRUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOOD HALLRUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMPRUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINTRUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCHRUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLANDRUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARMRUTH FIELDING AND THE GYPSIESRUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURESRUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIERUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGERUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLERUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSSRUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONTRUTH FIELDING HOMEWARD BOUNDRUTH FIELDING DOWN EASTRUTH FIELDING IN THE GREAT NORTHWESTRUTH FIELDING ON THE ST. LAWRENCE

BETTY GORDON SERIES

BETTY GORDON AT BRAMBLE FARMBETTY GORDON IN WASHINGTONBETTY GORDON IN THE LAND OF OILBETTY GORDON AT BOARDING SCHOOLBETTY GORDON AT MOUNTAIN CAMP

Cupples & Leon Co. , Publishers, New York

Copyright, 1922, byCupples & Leon Company

Ruth Fielding on the St. LawrencePrinted in U. S. A. 

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE I "Here Comes The Bride" 1 II A Rift In His Lute 10 III Rice And Old Shoes 18 IV Bilby 27 V Trouble In Prospect 37 VI An Abduction 45 VII Expediency 54 VIII At Chippewa Bay 63 IX A Film Mystery 73 X A Smell Of Smoke 83 XI Bilby Again 93 XII The Dance At Alexandria Bay 100 XIII The Kingdom Of Pipes 109 XIV A Demand Is Made 116 XV The Yellow Lady 124 XVI Marooned 131 XVII A Determination 140 XVIII Bilby's Trump Card 148 XIX Suspense 156 XX A Failure In Calculation 164 XXI In The Chinese Den 171 XXII The Twins' Alarm 178 XXIII Trouble Enough 186 XXIV A Letter Comes 193 XXV The Heart's Desire 201

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RUTH FIELDING ON THEST. LAWRENCE

CHAPTER I

"HERE COMES THE BRIDE"

The sudden joyous pealing of the organ could be heard upon the sidewalkbefore the stately church. As there was a broad canopy from the door tothe curb, with a carpet laid down and motor-cars standing in line, ittook no seer to proclaim that a wedding was in progress within. 

Idlers halted to wait for the appearance of the wedding party, which wasabout to come forth. Some of the younger spectators ran up the steps andpeered in at the door, for there was only a lame, old, purblind sexton onguard, and he, too, seemed vastly interested in what was going on inside. 

One glance down the main aisle of the great edifice revealed a much moreelaborate scheme of decoration than usually appears at a church wedding. Its main effect was the intertwining of French and American flags, and asthe bridal party turned from the altar the horizon blue uniform of thesoldier-bridegroom was a patch of vivid color that could not be mistaken. 

The bride in her white gown and veil and wreath made, it may be, even amore prominent picture than did her husband. But that was only to beexpected perhaps, for a girl on her wedding day, and in the church, isusually the focus of all eyes. 

It must be confessed (even her dearest friends must confess it) there wasanother reason why she who, only a moment before had been Jennie Stone, quite filled the public eye. 

In the first place, Jennie was a well-built girl, and upon her well-builtframe there had always been since her childhood days a superabundance offlesh. And getting married had not changed sweet, jolly, funny JennieStone in the least! Instead of coming back down the aisle of the churchwith modestly downcast eyes (which is usually a hypocritical display ofemotion), Jennie smiled at her friends and beamed proudly upon the figurein horizon blue at her side. 

And she might well be proud of Major Henri Marchand, for he was in thevery best sense a soldier and a gentleman, and there gleamed a bit ofcolor on his breast that had been pinned there by Marshal Foch's ownhand. As he was still in active service and had only been given leave tocome to America for his bride, this might be considered the last militarywedding that the old church was likely to see--perhaps for many years. 

The groom's French uniform, and even the olive gray of the best man andtwo or three other men in the party at the altar, had lent their touch ofcolor to the picture. But it was the bride's attendants, however, thatmade the party so well worth looking at--especially to the greater numberof young women and girls in the pews. 

Jennie Stone was a popular girl, and had friends galore. Many of thosegirl friends had come from a distance to see their beloved "Heavy Stone"(as she had been nicknamed in the old Briarwood Hall days) married to theman she had met in France while she was engaged in those useful andhelpful occupations into which so many American girls entered during thewar. 

Besides, Jennie was the first of the old Briarwood Hall set to bemarried, and this was bound to be a gala occasion. This was no "weepy"wedding, but a time of joy. And the bridal party coming down the aislemade as brilliant a picture as had ever been seen in the old church. 

The maid of honor in pink was as refreshing to look upon as a bouquet ofarbutus. She had always been a pretty, winsome girl. Now she wasdeveloping into a handsome young woman, as all Ruth Fielding's friendsdeclared. In her present filmy costume with its flowery picture hat thegirl of the Red Mill had never looked better. 

The young man at her side in the uniform of an American captain with hisblack curls and dark face, made a splendid foil for Ruth's beauty. Behindhim walked his twin sister--as like Tom Cameron as another pea in apod--and Ann Hicks, both in rose-color, completing a color scheme worthyof the taste of whoever had originated it. For the sheer beauty of thepicture, this wedding would long be remembered. 

In the very last pew, on the aisle, sat an eager old colored woman--oneof those typical "mammies" now so seldom seen--in an old-fashioned bonnetand shawl. She was of a bulbous figure, and her dark face shone withperspiration and delight as she stared at the coming bride and groom. 

Jennie saw Mammy Rose (the old woman had been a dependent of the Stonefamily for years), and had the occasion been much more serious thanJennie thought it, the plump girl would surely have smiled at Mammy Rose. 

The old woman bobbed up, making an old-time genuflection. She thrust outa neat, paper-covered parcel which she had held carefully in hercapacious lap all through the ceremony. 

"Miss Janie--ma blessed baby!" she whispered. "I is suttenly glad to seedis here day! Heaven is a-smilin' on yo'. And here is one o' ma birfdaycakes yo' liked so mighty well. Mammy Rose done make it for her chile--delas' she ever will make yo' now yo' is goin' to foreign paths. "

Another girl than Jennie might have been confused, or even angered, bythe interruption of the procession. But Jennie could be nothing if notkind. Her own hands were filled with her bouquet--it was enormous. Shestopped, however, before the old woman. 

"As thoughtful for me as ever, Mammy Rose, aren't you?" she saidpleasantly. "And you know all my little failings. Henri, " she said to herhusband. 

But the courtly young Frenchman had quite as great a sense of _noblesseoblige_ as his bride. He bowed to the black woman as though she was thehighest lady in the land and accepted the parcel, tied clumsily with babyribbon by the gnarled fingers of Mammy Rose. 

They moved on and the smiling, yet tearful, old woman, sank back into herseat. If there was anything needed to make this a perfect occasion, itwas this little incident. The bride and groom came out into the smilingsunshine with sunshine in their hearts as well as on their faces. 

"I knew, " whispered Helen Cameron to Ann Hicks, who stalked beside her inrather a mannish way, "that Heavy Stone could not even be married withoutsomething ridiculous happening. "

"'Ridiculous'?" repeated the Western girl, with something like a catch inher throat. 

"Well, it _might_ have been ridiculous, " admitted Helen. "Only, afterall, Jennie is real--and so is Major Marchand. You couldn't feaze him, not even if a bomb had been dropped in the church vestibule. "

They were crowding into the motor-cars then, and merrily the weddingparty sped back to the big house on Madison Avenue, which had beengarnished for the occasion with the same taste that marked thecolor-scheme of the bride's attendants. The canopied steps and walk, thefootmen in line to receive the party, and the banked flowers in thereception hall were all impressive. 

"My!" whispered the irrepressible Jennie to Henri, "I feel like a primadonna. "

"You are, " was his prompt and earnest agreement. 

They trooped in at once to the breakfast table. The spacious room waswreathed with smilax and other vines--even to the great chandelier. Thelatter was so hidden by the decorations that it seemed overladen, and TomCameron, who had a quick eye, mentioned it to Ruth. 

"Wonder if those fellows braced that thing with wires? Florists sometimeshave more sense of art than common sense. "

"Hush, Tom! _Nothing_ can happen to spoil this occasion. Isn't itwonderful?"

But Tom Cameron looked at her rather gloomily. He shook his headslightly. 

"I feel like one of those pictures of the starving children in Armenia. I'm standing on the outside, looking in. "

It is true that Ruth Fielding flushed, but she refused to make reply. Amoment later, when Tom realized how the seating of the party had beenarranged, his countenance showed even deeper gloom. 

As best man Tom was directed to Jennie's right hand. On the other side ofHenri, Ruth was seated, and that placed her across the wide table fromTom Cameron. 

The smiling maid of honor was well worth looking at, and Tom Cameronshould have been content to focus his eyes upon her whenever he raisedthem from his plate; but for a particular reason he was not at allpleased. 

This particular reason was the seating of another figure in militaryuniform next to Ruth on her other side. This was a tall, pink-cheeked, well set-up youth looking as though, like Tom, he had seen militaryservice, and with an abundance of light hair above his broad brow. Atschool Chessleigh Copley had been nicknamed "Lasses" because of that cropof hair. 

He entered into conversation with Ruth at once, and he found her sointeresting (or she found him so interesting) that Ruth had littleattention to give to her _vis-ŕ-vis_ across the table. 

The latter's countenance grew heavier and heavier, his dark brows drawingtogether and his black eyes smouldering. 

If anybody noticed this change in Tom's countenance it was his twinsister, sitting on Ruth's side of the table. And perhaps she understoodher brother's mood. Now and then her own eyes flashed something besidescuriosity along the table on her side at Ruth and Chess Copley, soevidently lost in each other's companionship. 

But it was a gay party. How could it be otherwise with Jennie at thetable? And everybody was bound to second the gaiety of the bride. Thegroom's pride in Jennie was so open, yet so very courteously expressed, that half the girls there envied Jennie her possession of Henri Marchand. 

"To think, " drawled Ann Hicks, who had come East from Silver Ranch, "thatHeavy Stone should grab off such a prize in the matrimonial grab-bag. My!" and she finished with a sigh. 

"When does your turn come, Ann?" asked somebody. 

"Believe me, " said the ranch girl, with emphasis, "I have got to seesomebody besides cowpunchers and horse-wranglers before I make such afatal move. "

"You have lost all your imagination, " laughed Helen, from across thetable. 

"I don't know. Maybe I used it all up, back in those old kid days when Iran away to be 'Nita' and played at being 'the abused chee-ild'. Remember?"

"Oh, _don't_ we!" cried Helen and some of the other girls. 

Something dropped on Tom Cameron's plate. He glanced up, then down againat the object that had fallen. It was a piece of plaster from theceiling. 

Chess Copley likewise shot a glance ceilingward. 

There was a wide gap--and growing wider--on his side of the chandelier. Agreat piece of the heavy plaster was breaking away from the ceiling, andit hung threateningly over his own and Ruth Fielding's head. 

"Look out, Ruth!" shouted Tom Cameron, jumping to his feet. 

CHAPTER II

A RIFT IN HIS LUTE

Tom Cameron, no matter how desirous he might be of saving Ruth from hurt, could not possibly have got around the table in time. With a snarling, ripping noise the heavy patch of plaster tore away from the ceiling andfell directly upon the spot where the chairs of Ruth and Chess Copley hadbeen placed!

The screams of the startled girls almost drowned the noise of theplaster's fall, but Ruth Fielding did not join in the outcry. 

With one movement, it seemed, Copley had risen and kicked his own chairaway, seized Ruth about her waist as he did so, and so dragged her outfrom under the avalanche. 

It was all over in a moment, and the two stood, clinging to each otherinvoluntarily, while the dust of the fallen plaster spread around them. 

For a moment Ruth Fielding had been in as perilous a situation as she hadever experienced, and her life had been rather full of peril andadventure since, as a girl of twelve, and in the first volume of thisseries, we met her as "Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill. "

At the time just mentioned, the orphaned Ruth had appeared at hergreat-uncle's mill on the Lumano River, near Cheslow, in one of the NewEngland States, and had been taken in by the miserly old miller ratherunder protest. But Aunt Alvirah Boggs, who was Uncle Jabez Potter'shousekeeper, had loved the child from the very beginning. And in truththe old miller loved Ruth too, only he was slow to admit it. 

Ruth's first young friends at the Red Mill were the Cameron twins, andwith Helen she had spent her schools days and many of her vacations, atBriarwood Hall, in the North Woods, at the seashore, in the West, in theSouth, Down East, and in other localities, the narrated adventures ofwhich are to be found in the several volumes of the Ruth Fielding Series. 

In the book just preceding this present story, "Ruth Fielding in theGreat Northwest, " Helen was likewise with Ruth when she made her famousmoving picture, "Brighteyes" in connection with the Alectrion FilmCorporation, the president of which, Mr. Hammond, had first encouragedRuth to turn her entire time and talent to the writing of moving picturescenarios. 

The fall before the time of this wedding party in which the girl of theRed Mill was taking part, fortune threw in Ruth's way a charming youngwoman, a full-blood Osage Indian, in whom Mr. Hammond saw possibilitiesof development for screen acting. At least, to use the trite andbombastic moving picture phrase, Wonota, the Indian princess, "photographed like a million dollars. "

The Great War's abrupt conclusion brought Tom Cameron home just as eageras he had been for two years past to have Ruth agree to his plans for thefuture. As Ruth saw it (no matter what may have been her secret feelingfor Tom) to do as Tom wished would utterly spoil the career on which shehad now entered so successfully. 

Tom, like most young men in love, considered that a girl's only careershould be a husband and a home. He frankly said that he was prepared, young as he was, to supply both for Ruth. 

But their youth, in the first place, was an objection in the verysensible mind of Ruth. It was true, too, that a second objection was thefact that she wanted to live her own life and establish herself in thegreat career she had got into almost by chance. 

And then too Tom himself, since his return from France, had shown littledetermination to settle himself at work. Being the son of a wealthymerchant and possessing, now that he was of age, a fortune in his ownright inherited from his mother's estate, Tom Cameron, it seemed to Ruth, was just playing with life. 

Like many another young fellow so recently from the battlefield, itseemed as if he could not settle to anything. And his sister encouragedhim in this attitude. Ruth secretly blamed Helen for this. And thereforeher own attitude to Tom had grown more stern. 

It was now June--the June following the armistice--the loveliest and mostaccepted time for a bridal. The ceremony of Jennie Stone's wedding toMajor Henri Marchand had passed off, as we have seen, very smoothly. EvenTom, as best man, had found the ring at the right moment, and nobody hadstepped on Jennie's train. 

But this accident at the breakfast table--and an accident that might haveresulted fatally for Ruth Fielding--threatened to cause not onlyexcitement but to sober the whole party. 

In a moment, however, in spite of the dust rising from the brokenplaster, the others saw that Ruth and Chess Copley were both safe. Thelatter was repeating, over and over and in much anxiety:

"You are all right, Ruth! I've got you. You are all right. "

The girl herself was quite breathless. Copley held her in rather a closeembrace, and for a much longer time than appeared necessary--to TomCameron at least. Tom had got around the table just too late to be of anyassistance. 

"We see you've got her, 'Lasses, " Tom observed, rather tartly. "Theclose-up is shot. Break away. "

His words started the laughter--and there was much relief expressed inthe laughter in which all about the table joined. People are apt to laughwhen serious danger is over. But it might have been observed by hisfriends at another time that Tom Cameron was not usually tart or unkindof speech. 

Ruth said nothing, and Chess Copley flushed hotly. Jennie had got up withHenri in the moment of excitement, and now she quickly seized her gobletof grape-juice in which the party had previously toasted the bride andgroom, and raised the glass on high. 

"Hear! Hear!" cried Ann Hicks. "The bride speaks. "

"This is a good omen, " declared Jennie clinging to Henri's arm. "Our Ruthwas wounded in France and has been in danger on many occasions, as we allknow. Never has she more gracefully escaped disaster, nor been aided by amore chivalrous cavalier. Drink! Drink to Ruth Fielding and to ChessleighCopley! They are two very lucky people, for that ceiling might havecracked their crowns. "

They drank the toast--most of them with much laughter. 

"Some orator, Jennie, " commented Helen. "We are just beginning toappreciate you. "

"You will all be sorry that you did not treat me better--especially as achee-ild, " returned the plump bride, with mock solemnity. "Think! Thinkhow you all used to abuse my--my appetite at Briarwood Hall. It is onlyMammy Rose who is kind to me, " and she pointed to the old colored woman'sgift that had a place of honor before her own plate and that of MajorMarchand's. 

"Let me give a toast, " cried Helen gaily. "Let us drink to Jennie'sappetite--long may it wave. "

"Goodness me! Don't speak of waves and appetite in the same breath, Ibeg. Remember we are going directly aboard ship from the house and--and Inever was a good sailor. Waves! Ugh!"

The fun went on while the serving people swept up the debris and removedthose dishes that had been covered with dust. 

Aside, Ruth, taking for the moment little part in the chatter andmerriment, for she had received a considerable shock, stood talking withCopley. Ruth had given him her hand again and Chess clung to it rathermore warmly--so the watchful Tom thought--than was needful. But the girlfelt that she really had a great deal to thank Copley for. 

"Jennie in her fun spoke quite truly, " Ruth said in a low voice. "You area friend in need. "

"And I hope you consider me a friend indeed, Ruth, " rejoined the youngfellow. 

"I certainly do, " agreed the girl of the Red Mill with her customaryfrank smile. 

"I--I am afraid, " Chess added, "that I am not considered in that light byall your friends, Ruth. Helen Cameron hasn't spoken to me to-day. "

"No? Is it serious?"

"It is serious when a fellow gets turned down--snubbed--and not a word ofexplanation offered. And, in the words of the old song, we were'companions once, but strangers now'. "

"Oh, don't mind. Helen usually gets over the mollygrubs very quickly. "

Chess turned to see the other Cameron twin eyeing him with no greatfavor. 

However, the throng of guests who were invited to the reception begancoming in, and for the next two hours the parlors were crowded with themany friends of the plump girl, who, as Helen had said, found this thegreatest day of her life, and there was little time for much individualchat, though, it seemed to Tom, Chess Copley kept as close as possible toRuth's side. 

It was after Jennie had gone to put on her traveling dress, and theimmediate wedding party, who were to accompany the bridal couple to thedock to see them embark, were hurrying out of the room to put on streetclothes that Tom, in a low voice, demanded of Chess:

"What are you trying to do--put a label on Ruth? Don't forget she belongsto all of us. "

Chess Copley had not won his commission in the war and wore only asergeant's chevrons. But the war was over and he could tell his captainjust what he thought of him. And he did. 

"Do you know what you are, Tom Cameron?" he drawled, smiling a hardlittle smile. "You are a regular dog in the manger, and I'm frank to tellyou so!"

CHAPTER III

RICE AND OLD SHOES

"It is the greatest day in a girl's life, " declared Helen Cameron, sitting on the edge of one of the twin beds in the room she and Ruthoccupied while they were at the Stone house. She buckled her fingersaround her knee to hold one limb crossed over the other--a very mannishand independent position. "I don't know that I ever envied Heavy beforein my life. But she has got something now that we haven't, Ruth. "

"Cat's foot!" exclaimed Ann Hicks from her chair. "Who'd want a Frenchmanfor a husband?"

Ruth laughed. "Not to say that Major Marchand is not a fine fellow, Iagree with Ann that I don't want a husband. Not--right--now!"

"Oh! Very well, " said Helen complacently. "But if you thought you'd neverbe able to get one----"

"Shucks!" exclaimed Ann. "As though our Ruth couldn't have all she wantsif she wants them. "

"I really wish you would not speak plurally of them, Ann, " cried Ruth, laughing. "You will make me feel like the Queen of the Amazons. They sayshe keeps a masculine harem--like a bey, or a sultan, or something ofthat kind. "

"Be serious, " rejoined Helen. "I mean what I say. Jennie's great day hasarrived. And she is the first of all our old bunch that went toBriarwood--and surely of those who went to Ardmore College--to fetterherself to a man for life. "

"Well, I shall never be fettered, even if I am married, " observed Ann. "I'd like to see myself!"

"If the right man comes riding by, Ann, even you will change your mind, "Ruth said softly. 

"Then I suppose the right man has never ridden up to the Red Mill andasked for you?" demanded Helen, with a glance at her chum that was ratherpiercing. 

"Perhaps he has, " said Ruth composedly, "but I wasn't at home. AuntAlvirah thinks I am almost never at home. And, girls, as I told youyesterday, I am going soon on another journey. "

"Oh, Ruth, I've been thinking of that!" Helen rejoined, with a suddenaccess of interest and excitement. "To the Thousand Islands! And at theloveliest time of all the year up there. "

"And that is only the truth, " said one of the other bridesmaids. "Wespent last summer there. "

"The Copleys always go, " Helen remarked quietly. 

"No! Do you mean it?" cried Ruth, showing some surprise. "Well, indeed. "

"So you will see a lot more of 'Lasses Copley, " remarked Ann. 

"I shall be glad if Chess Copley is there when and where we make thispicture, for I think he is very nice, " was Ruth's composed reply. 

"Oh, he's nice enough, " agreed Helen, rather grumblingly however. "I'vegot nothing to say against Chess--as a general thing. "

"And you don't seem to say much for him, " put in the Western girlcuriously. 

But Helen said nothing further on that topic. Ruth broke in, answeringone of the other girls who spoke of the forthcoming picture Ruth wasgoing to make for the Alectrion Corporation. 

"Of course our famous Wonota is going to be in the picture. For she isfamous already. 'Brighteyes' appeared for two successive weeks in one ofthe big Broadway picture houses and we are making a lot of money out ofits distribution. 

"But we know Wonota is a find for another very unmistakable reason, " sheadded. 

"What is that?" asked Helen. 

"Other producers have begun to make Wonota and her father offers. ForChief Totantora has become interested in the movie business too. Mr. Hammond used Totantora in a picture he made in Oklahoma in the spring;one in which Wonota did not appear. She was off at school at the time. Weare going to make of the princess a cultivated and cultured young ladybefore we get through with her, " and Ruth laughed. 

"A Red Indian!" cried somebody. 

"That makes no difference, " said Ruth placidly. "She is amenable to whitecustoms, and is really a very smart girl. And she has a lovelydisposition. "

"Especially, " put in Helen, who remembered the occasion clearly, "whenshe wanted to shoot Dakota Joe Fenbrook when he treated her so unkindlyin his Wild West show. But, I wanted to shoot him myself, " she added, frankly. "Especially after he tried to hurt Ruth. "

"Never mind him, " said her chum at that. "Joe Fenbrook is in thepenitentiary now, and he is not bothering us. But other people arebothering Mr. Hammond about Wonota. "

"How?" asked Helen. 

"Why, as I said, there are other picture producers who have seen'Brighteyes' and would like to get the chief and his daughter undercontract. They have told Totantora that, as the contract with hisdaughter was made while she was not of age, it can be broken. Of course, the Indian agent agreed to the contract; but after Totantora returnedfrom Europe, where he had been held a prisoner in Germany during the war, the guardianship of Wonota reverted to her father once more. 

"It is rather a complicated matter, " went on Ruth, "and it is giving Mr. Hammond and his lawyers some trouble. There is a man named Bilby, who hasbeen a picture producer in a small way, who seems to have some influencewith the head of the Government Bureau of Indian Affairs. He seems tohave financial backing, too, and claims to have secured a series ofstories in which Wonota might be featured to advantage. And he certainlyhas offered Totantora and the girl much more money than Mr. Hammond wouldbe willing to risk in a star who may, after all, prove merely a flash inthe pan. "

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ann. "I thought she was a sure-firehit. "

"No amateur screen actress--and that is all Wonota is as yet--is ever a'sure-fire hit', as you call it, " said the practical Ruth. "Many aproducer has been badly bitten by tying up a new actor or actress to along-time contract. Because a girl films well and is successful in onepart, is not an assurance that she can learn to be a really great actressbefore the camera. 

"In 'Brighteyes' Wonota merely played herself. I was successful infitting my story to her individuality. But she cannot always play thesame part. In this story we are about to do on the St. Lawrence, she willbe called upon to delineate a character quite different from that of theheroine of 'Brighteyes. '"

"Dear me, Ruth, " sighed Helen, "what a business woman you are getting tobe. Your career has really begun--and so promisingly. While I can't do athing but play the fiddle a little, daub a little at batik, and crochet!"

"And make most delightful fudge!" cried Jennie Stone, just then cominginto the room in her traveling dress, fresh from the hands of her maidand Aunt Kate. "How do I look, girls?"

The bride's appearance drove everything else out of her friends' mindsfor the time being. It was two o'clock and the automobiles were at thedoor. The bridal couple, attended by bridesmaids, the best man, theushers, and other close friends, departed for the dock amid showers ofrice and a bombardment of old shoes which littered Madison Avenue forhalf a block and kept even the policemen on special duty for theoccasion, dodging!

They all trooped aboard the steamship where arrangements had been made tohave the passports of the bride and groom examined. 

Mr. Stone had done everything well, as he always did. The bridal suitewas banked with flowers. Even the orchestra belonging to the ship hadbeen engaged specially to play. A second, though brief, reception washeld here. 

The ship's siren sent a stuttering blast into the air that seemed toshake the skyscrapers opposite the dock. The young folks trooped back tothe pier. Tom did his best to escort Ruth; but to his amazement and angerChess Copley pushed in front of him and Ruth took the sergeant's arm. 

Helen came along and grabbed her brother with a fierce little pinch. Hereyes sparkled while his smouldered. 

"I guess we are relegated to the second row, Tommy-boy, " she whispered. "I do not see what has got into Ruth. "

"It's not Ruth. The gall of that 'Lasses!" muttered the slangy Tom. 

"So you think he is at fault?" rejoined his sister. "Oh, Tommy-boy! youdo not know 'us girls'--no indeed you do not. "

It was a gay enough party on the dock that watched the big ship back outand being turned in the stream by the fussy tugs. The bride and groomshouted until they were hoarse, and waved their hands and handkerchiefsas long as they could be seen from the dock. 

If Helen and Tom Cameron were either, or both, offended by Ruth, they didnot show it to the general company. As for the girl of the Red Mill, sheenjoyed herself immensely; and she particularly liked Chess Copley'scompany. 

It was not that she felt any less kindly toward Tom; but Tom haddisappointed her. He seemed to have changed greatly during this pastwinter while she had been so busy with her moving pictures. 

Instead of settling down with his father in the offices of the greatdrygoods house from which Mr. Cameron's fortune had come, Tom, abetted byHelen, had become almost a social butterfly in New York. 

But Chess Copley, although no sober-sides, had thrown himself heart andsoul into the real estate business and had already made a tidy sum duringthe six months that had ensued since his discharge from the army. 

It was true, Chess was looking forward to taking a vacation at theThousand Islands with his family. He told Ruth so with enthusiasm, andhoped to see her again at that resort. But Chess, Ruth felt, had earnedhis vacation, while Tom remained a mere idler. 

Chess accompanied the Cheslow young people to the Grand Central Terminalwhen they left the dock and there bade Ruth good-bye. 

"I shall see you in a fortnight at the Thousand Islands, " he assured her, and shook hands again. "I shall look forward to it, believe me!"

Tom hung about, gloomy enough, even after they boarded the train. But thegirls were gay and chattering when they entered their compartment. AnnHicks was going home with Helen for a brief visit, although she would beunable to go elsewhere with them during the early part of the summer, owing to previous engagements. 

"I am determined to go to the St. Lawrence with you, Ruth, " declaredHelen. "And I know Tommy-boy is aching to go. "

"I thought, " said Ruth rather gravely, "that he might really take tobusiness this summer. Doesn't your father need him?"

"Plenty of time for work, Tommy thinks, " rejoined Tom's sister gaily. 

But Ruth did not smile. 

CHAPTER IV

BILBY

The old, shingled Red Mill, which Jabez Potter had revamped each springwith mineral paint, was as brilliant a landmark on the bank of the LumanoRiver as ever it had been. In fact, it seemed as though Ben, the hiredman, had got the red of the shingles and the trim a little redder and theblinds a little greener this last spring than ever they had been before. 

Overshadowed by great elms, with the yard grass growing thick and lushright up to the bark of the trees, the surroundings of the mill andfarmhouse connected with it (at least, all of those surroundings thatcould be seen from the Cheslow road), were attractive indeed. 

Although the old house seemed quite as it always had been from without, many changes had been made inside since first Ruth Fielding had steppedout of Dr. Davison's chaise to approach her great-uncle's habitation. 

At that time Ruth had been less than a mote in the eye of Uncle Jabez. She was merely an annoyance to the miller at that time. Since then, however, she had many and many a time proved a blessing to him. Nor didJabez Potter refuse to acknowledge this--on occasion. 

When Ruth began to do over the interior of the old house, however, UncleJabez protested. The house and mill had been built a hundred and fiftyyears before--if not longer ago. It was sacrilege to touch a crookedrafter or a hammered nail of the entire structure. 

But Ruth insisted that she be allowed to make her own rooms under theroof more comfortable and modern. Ruth had seen old New Englandfarmhouses rebuilt in the most attractive way one could imagine withoutdisturbing their ancient exterior appearance. She gathered ideas frombooks and magazines, and then went about replanning the entire inside ofthe mill farmhouse. But she began the actual rejuvenation of the aspectof the structure in her own rooms, and had had all the work done sinceher return from the war zone the year before. 

She now had a bedroom, a sitting room, a dressing room and bathroom upunder the roof, all in white (Helen said "like a hospital"), and when oneopened Ruth's outer door and stepped into her suite it seemed as thoughone entered an entirely different house. And if it was a girl whoentered--as Wonota, the Osage princess, did on a certain June day soonafter Jennie Stone's marriage--she could not suppress a cry of delight. 

Wonota had stayed before at the Red Mill for a time; but then the workmenhad not completed Ruth's new nest. And although Wonota had been born in awigwam on the plains and had spent her childhood in a log cabin with aturf roof, she could appreciate "pretty things" quite as keenly as anygirl of Ruth's acquaintance. 

That was why Ruth--as well as Mr. Hammond of the Alectrion FilmCorporation--believed that the Indian girl would in time become asuccessful screen actress. Wonota, though her skin was copper-colored, liked to dress in up-to-date clothes (and did so) and enjoyed therefinements of civilization as much as any white girl of her age. 

"It is so pretty here, Miss Ruth, " she said to her mentor. "May I sleepin the other bed off your sitting room? It is sweet of you. How foolishof people wanting to see on the screen how poor Indians live in theirignorance. I would rather learn to play the part of a very rich New Yorklady, and have servants and motor-cars and go to the opera and wear adiamond necklace. "

Ruth laughed at her, but good-naturedly. 

"All girls are the same, I suppose, under the skin, " she said. "But weeach should try to do the things we can do best. Learn to play the partsthe director assigns you to the very best of your ability. Doing thatwill bring you, quicker than anything else, to the point where you canwear diamonds and ride in your own motor-car and go to the opera. Whatdoes your father, Chief Totantora, say to your new ideas, Wonota?"

"The chief, my father, says nothing when I talk like that to him. He istoo much of an old-fashioned Indian, I fear. He is staying at a countryhotel up the road; but he would not sleep in the room they gave him (andthen he rolled up in his blanket on the floor) until they agreed to lethim take out the sashes from all three windows. He says that white peoplehave white faces because they sleep in stale air. "

"Perhaps he is more than half right, " rejoined Ruth, although she laughedtoo. "Some white folks even in this age are afraid of the outdoor air asa sleeping tonic, and prefer to drug themselves with shut-in air in theirbedrooms. "

"But one can have pretty things and nice things, and still remain inhealth, " sighed Wonota. 

Ruth agreed with this. The girl of the Red Mill tried, too, in every wayto encourage the Indian maiden to learn and profit by the better thingsto be gained by association with the whites. 

There were several days to wait before Mr. Hammond was ready to send Mr. Hooley, the director, and the company selected for the making of Ruth'snew picture to the Thousand Islands. Meanwhile Ruth herself had manypreparations to make and she could not be all the time with her visitor. 

As in that past time when she had visited the Red Mill, Wonota wasusually content to sit with Aunt Alvirah and make beadwork while the oldwoman knitted. 

"She's a contented creeter, my pretty, " the old woman said to Ruth. "Redor white, I never see such a quiet puss. And she jumps and runs to waiton me like you do. 

"Oh, my back! and oh, my bones!" exclaimed Aunt Alvirah, risingcautiously with the aid of a cane she now depended upon. "My rheumatismdon't seem any better, and I have had it long enough, seems to me, for itto get better, " she added. 

"Poor dear!" said Ruth. "Don't the new medicine do any good?"

"Lawsy me, child! I've drenched myself with doctor's stuff till I'mashamed to look a medicine bottle in the face. My worn out old carcasscan't be helped much by any drugs at all. I guess, as my poor old motherused to say, the only sure cure for rheumatics is graveyard mould. "

"Oh, Aunt Alvirah!"

"I don't say it complainingly, " declared the little old woman, smilingquite cheerfully. "But I tell Jabez Potter he might as well make up hismind to seeing my corner of his hearth empty one of these days. And he'llmiss me, too, cantankerous as he is sometimes. "

But Uncle Jabez was seldom "cantankerous" nowadays when Ruth was at home. To the miller's mind his great-niece had proved herself to be of the truePotter blood, although her name was Fielding. 

Ruth was a money-maker. He had to wink pretty hard over the fact that shewas likewise a money spender! But one girl--and a young one atthat--could scarcely be expected (and so the old miller admitted) tocombine all the virtues which were worth while in human development. 

"Keep a-making of it, Niece Ruth, " Uncle Jabez advised earnestly. "Younever can tell when you are going to want more or when your ability tomake money is going to stop. I'd sell the Red Mill or give up and nevergrind another grist for nobody, if I didn't feel that perhaps by nextyear I should have to stop, anyway--and another year won't much matter. "

"You get so little pleasure out of life, Uncle Jabez, " Ruth once said inanswer to this statement of the old man. 

"Shucks! Don't you believe it. I don't know no better fun than watchingthe corn in the hopper or the stuns go round and round while the mealflour runs out of the spout below, warm and nice-smellin'. The millin'business is just as pretty a business as there is in the world--when onceyou git used to the dust. No doubt of it. "

"I can see, Uncle Jabez, that you find it so, " said Ruth, but ratherdoubtfully. 

"Of course it is, " said the old man stoutly. "You get fun out of runningabout the country and looking at things and seeing how other folks liveand work. And that's all right for you. _You_ make money out of it. Butwhat would I get out of gadding about?"

"A broader outlook on life, Uncle Jabez. "

"I don't want no broader outlook. I don't need nothing of the kind. Nordoes Alviry Boggs, though she's got to talking a dreadful lot latelyabout wanting to ride around in an automobile. At her age, too!"

"You should own a car, Uncle Jabez, " urged Ruth. 

"Now, stop that! Stop that, Niece Ruth! I won't hear to no suchfoolishness. You show me how I can make money riding up and down theLumano in a pesky motor-car, and maybe I'll do like Alviry wants me to, and buy one of the contraptions. " "Hullo, now!" added the millersuddenly. "Who might this be?"

Ruth turned to see one of the very motor-cars that Uncle Jabez so scorned(or pretended to) stopping before the wide door of the mill itself. 

But as it was the man driving the roadster, rather than the car itself, Uncle Jabez had spoken of, Ruth gave her attention to him. He was aruddy, tubby little man in a pin-check black and white suit, faced withsilk on lapels and pockets--it really gave him a sort of minstrel-likeappearance as though he should likewise have had his face corked--and hewore in a puffed maroon scarf a stone that flashed enough for half adozen ordinary diamonds--whether it really was of the first water or not. 

This man hopped out from back of the wheel of the roadster and camebriskly up the graveled rise from the road to the door of the mill. Hefavored Ruth with a side glance and half smile that the girl of the RedMill thought (she had seen plenty of such men) revealed his charactervery clearly. But he spoke to Uncle Jabez. 

"I say, Pop, is this the place they call the Red Mill?"

"I calkerlate it is, " agreed the miller dryly. "Leastways, it's the onlyRed Mill I ever heard tell on. "

"I reckoned I'd got to the right dump, " said the visitor cheerfully. "Iunderstand there's an Injun girl stopping here? Is that so?"

Uncle Jabez glanced at Ruth and got her permission to speak before heanswered:

"I don't know as it's any of your business, Mister; but the PrincessWonota, of the Osage Nation, is stopping here just now. What might beyour business with her?"

"So she calls herself a 'princess' does she?" returned the man, grinningagain at Ruth in an offensive way. "Well, I have managed a South SeaIsland chief, a pair of Circassian twins, and a bunch of Eskimos, in mytime. I guess I know how to act in the presence of Injun royalty. Trother out. "

"Trot who out?" asked the miller calmly, but with eyes that flashed underhis penthouse brows. "Wonota ain't no horse. Did you think she was?"

"I know what she is, " returned the man promptly. "It's what she is goingto be that interests me. I'm Bilby--Horatio Bilby. Maybe you've heard ofme?"

"I have, " said Ruth rather sharply. 

At once Mr. Bilby's round, dented, brown hat came off and he bowedprofoundly. 

"Happy to make your acquaintance, Miss, " he said. 

"You haven't made it yet--near as I can calkerlate, " gruffly said UncleJabez. "And it's mebbe a question if you get much acquainted with Wonota. What's your business with her, anyway?"

"I'll show you, old gent, " said Bilby, taking a number of importantlooking papers from his pocket. "I have come here to get this princess, as you call her. The Indian Department has sent me. She is a ward of theGovernment, as you perhaps know. It seems she is held under a false formof contract to a moving picture corporation, and Wonota's friends haveapplied to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to look into the matter and getat the rights of the business. "

Ruth uttered a cry of amazement; but Uncle Jabez said calmly enough:

"And what have you got to do with it all, Mister--if I may be so curiousas to ask?"

"The girl is given into my charge while her affairs are being lookedinto, " said Mr. Horatio Bilby, with an explanatory flourish whichincluded both the miller and Ruth in its sweeping gesture. 

CHAPTER V

TROUBLE IN PROSPECT

Ruth Fielding wished that Mr. Hammond was within reach; but she knew hewas already on his way to the Thousand Islands, for which she herselfexpected to start the next day with Wonota and her father. She had notheard much about this Bilby; but what she had learned--together with whatshe now saw of him--impressed her not at all in his favor. 

In any event she was not willing to accept either Horatio Bilby or hisdeclaration at face value. And she was glad to see that the hardheadedold miller was not much impressed by the man, either. 

"I don't know much about this business, Mister, " said Uncle Jabez, withmuch calmness. "But it strikes me that you'd better see the girl'sfather. "

"What girl's father?" demanded the visitor, and now he seemed surprised. 

"Wonota's. Chief Totantora is the name he goes by. It strikes me that heought to have a deal more to say about the girl than any Governmentdepartment. "

"Why, he's nothing but a blanket Injun!" ejaculated Bilby, with disgust. 

"Mebbe so, " rejoined Uncle Jabez. "But his wearing a blanket (though Inever see him with it on; he wears pants and a shirt when he comes here)don't figger none at all. He still remains the girl's father. "

"I guess you don't know, Pop, that these Injuns are all wards of UncleSam. "

"Mebbe so, " again observed the miller. "And I have sometimes thought thatUncle Sam ain't always been any too good to his red relations. However, that isn't to the point. The girl's here. She's sort of in my care whileshe is here. Unless Chief Totantora shows up and asks to have her handedover to you, I calkerlate you won't get her. "

"See here, my man!" exclaimed Bilby, at once becoming blusterous, "you'llget into trouble with the Government if you interfere with me. "

"That doesn't scare me none, " was the prompt reply of Jabez Potter. "Right now the Government of the United States don't look so important tome as our local constable. I guess to get possession of the girl you willhave to bring an officer with you to certify to all this you say you are. Until you do, I might as well tell you, first as last, that you ain't gota chance--not a chance!--to even see Wonota. "

Mr. Bilby grew even redder in the face than nature seemed to haveintended him to be. And his little greenish-gray eyes sparkled angrily. 

"You'll get into trouble, old man, " he threatened. 

"Don't you let that bother you none, " rejoined the miller. "I've had somuch trouble in my life that I'm sort of used to it, as you might say. Now, if that is all you got to offer, you might as well get back intothat go-cart of yours and drive on. "

Mr. Potter turned on his heel and went back into the mill, beckoning toRuth to come with him. She did so--for a little way at least; but shesoon stopped to peer out and watch the man, Bilby. 

When they were, as he thought, out of hearing, he gave vent to severalgrunts, kicked a pebble across the road, and scowled ferociously. He saidsomething about "these rubes are smarter than they used to be. " He seemedconvinced that he could do nothing further in the matter he had comeupon. Not at this time, it was quite plain. 

He turned and climbed into the roadster. But he did not drive back towardCheslow; instead he went up the river road, and Ruth Fielding rememberedthat Wonota's father was stopping at the country inn which was only threeor four miles up that road. 

"But nothing can happen because of that, of course, " the girl thought, asshe entered the passage that led to the farmhouse from the mill. "Wonotais perfectly safe here, and surely Totantora can take care of himselfwith that little fat man, or with anybody else!"

She entered the kitchen expecting to find the Indian girl at work withAunt Alvirah in the old woman's sunny corner of the great room. The oldwoman was alone, however. 

"Where is Wonota?" Ruth asked. 

Before Aunt Alvirah could reply an automobile siren echoed outside of thehouse. Aunt Alvirah was smiling and waving at somebody and Ruth hurriedto the window to look out. 

"Here's Helen come for you, my pretty, in that beautiful big car ofhers, " said Aunt Alvirah. "Isn't it fine to be rich?"

"Wait till I make a few more pictures, Aunty, and we'll have a car too. If Uncle Jabez won't buy one, I've made up my mind to get a car if it'sonly to take you to drive once in a while. "

"It wouldn't hurt Jabez Potter to buy a car, " declared the old woman. "She's coming in Ruthie. Oh, my back! and oh, my bones!" she murmured, asshe got up to receive the visitor. 

Helen swept into the house gaily. She always had a kiss for the littleold woman who thought her, next to Ruth, the finest girl who ever lived. 

"You're always a sight for anyone to look on with pleasure, HelenCameron, " said Aunt Alvirah. "And you're mighty smart in that long coatand cap. "

"And do you put on your coat and bonnet, Aunty, " cried Helen, patting herwrinkled cheek. "I've come to take you for a spin. And Ruth, too. "

"There's Wonota, " suggested Ruth. 

"Of course. The princess shall join us, " Helen cried merrily. "Where isshe? Tell her to leave her everlasting beadwork long enough to ride inthe white man's motor-car. "

"I suppose, " said Ruth, starting for the stairway, "Wonota must be up inher own room. "

"No, no!" Aunt Alvirah called from her bedroom, to which she had hobbledfor her cloak and bonnet. "I was just about to tell you, my pretty. Wonota has gone out. "

"Where did she go?" and Ruth suddenly turned back, and with surprise ifnot exactly with a feeling of alarm. 

"She said she would walk up the road to see her father. She is quite fondof her father, I believe, " added Aunt Alvirah, coming back with her wrapand bonnet. "Of course, Indians have family feelings, if they do seem tohide 'em so well. "

"I am sorry she went out alone, " murmured Ruth. 

"Pooh! she isn't a child. And she'll not lose her way, that's sure, "laughed Helen. "Anyway, we'll overtake her and give her a ride. ChiefTotantora, too, if he will deign to step into the white man's car. "

Ruth said no more. But after the visit of Bilby to the mill she could nothelp but feel some little anxiety. She remembered that Dakota Joe, inwhose show Wonota had once worked, had tried his best to make trouble forher and Mr. Hammond because of the Osage maiden; and this Bilby wasplainly a much shrewder person than the Westerner had been. 

She and Helen aided Aunt Alvirah out to the car. It was a heavy, sevenpassenger machine; but Helen could drive it as well as Tom himself. 

"And Tommy-boy, " she explained as she tucked the robe about Aunt Alvirahbefore following Ruth into the front seat, "went to town to-day withfather. "

"I hope he will really get down to work now, " said Ruth softly, as Helenbegan to manipulate the levers. 

"Pooh!" exclaimed Helen carelessly. "Work was made for slaves. And Tomhad a hard time over in France. I tell dad he ought not to expectTommy-boy to really work for a long, long time to come. "

"Do you think that is right, Helen?" admonished her chum. "Idleness wasnever good for anybody. "

"It isn't as though Tom was poor. He hasn't got to toil and delve in anold office--"

"You know it isn't that, " cried Ruth warmly. "But he should make good useof his time. And your father needs him. He ought to be idle now, notTom. "

"Grandmother Grunt!" laughed Helen. "You're twice as old as Aunt Alvirahright now. "

"After what we have been through--after what the world has been throughfor five years--we all ought to be at work, " said Ruth rather severely. "And Tom is no exception. "

"Why, I never knew you to be hard on Tommy-boy before!" pouted Tom'ssister. 

"Perhaps I never had occasion to be hard on him before, " Ruth answered. "He is only one of many. Especially many of those who were over there inFrance. They seem to be so unsettled and--and so careless for thefuture. "

"Regular female Simon Legree, you are, Ruthie Fielding. "

"But when Tom first came back he was as eager as he could be to get tobusiness and to begin a business career. And lately, it seems to me, he'shad an awful slump in his ambition. I never saw the like. "

"Oh, bother!" muttered Helen, and started the car. 

The car shot ahead, and in five minutes they passed the country inn, butsaw nothing of either Wonota or the Indian chief. In a cove below theriver bank, however, Ruth caught a glimpse of a small motor-boat with twomen in it. And backed into a wood's path near the highway was a smallmotor-car. 

Was it the smart roadster Mr. Horatio Bilby had driven to the Red Mill?Ruth could not be sure. But she did not enjoy the ride with Helen andAunt Alvirah very much for thinking of the possibility of its being Mr. Bilby's car so close to the inn where Chief Totantora was stopping. 

CHAPTER VI

AN ABDUCTION

The ride in Helen's car was enjoyable, especially for Aunt Alvirah. Howthat old lady did smile and (as she herself laughingly said) "gabble" herdelight! Being shut inside the house so much, the broader sight of thesurrounding country and the now peacefully flowing Lumano River wasindeed a treat. 

Helen drove up the river and over the Long Bridge, where she halted thecar for a time that they might look both up and down the stream. And itwas from this point that Ruth again caught a glimpse of the motor-boatshe had before spied near the roadside inn. 

There was but one man in it now, and the boat was moored to the root of abig tree that overhung the little cove. Not that there was anythingastonishing or suspicious in the appearance of the boat. Merely, it wasthere and seemed to have no particular business there. And the girl ofthe Red Mill recalled that Mr. Horatio Bilby's motor-car was backed intothe bushes near that spot. 

Had Mr. Bilby, who had announced that his business in this vicinity wasto obtain possession of Wonota, anything to do with the men in the boat?The thought may have been but an idle suggestion in Ruth's mind. 

Intuition was strong in Ruth Fielding, however. Somehow, the abandonedcar being there near the inn where Totantora was staying and to whichWonota had gone to see her father, and the unidentified motor-boatlurking at the river's edge in the same vicinity, continued to rap aninsistent warning at the door of the girl's mind. 

"Helen, let's go back, " she said suddenly, as her chum was about to letin the clutch again. "Turn around--do. "

"What for?" asked Helen wonderingly, yet seeing something in theexpression of Ruth's face that made her more than curious. 

"I--I feel that everything isn't right with Wonota. "

"Wonota!"

Ruth, in low tones, told her chum her fears--told of Bilby's call at themill--mentioned the fact that the Indian girl was probably at this timeat the roadside inn and that the rival moving picture producer wasperhaps there likewise. 

"What do you know about that!" gasped Helen. "Is there going to be a realfight for the possession of Wonota, do you think?"

"And for Totantora too, perhaps. For he figures importantly in thispicture we are about to make up on the St. Lawrence. "

"Fine!" exclaimed Helen Cameron. "There is going to be something doingbesides picture making. Why, Ruth! you couldn't keep me from going withyou to-morrow. And I know Tommy-boy will be crazy to be in it, too. "

Ruth made an appealing gesture as Helen began to back and turn the car. 

"Don't frighten Aunt Alvirah, " she whispered. 

Helen was delighted with any prospect for action. It must be confessedthat she did not think much about disappointment or trouble accruing toother people in any set of circumstances; she never had been particularlythoughtful for others. But she was brave to the point of recklessness, and she was at once excited regarding the suggested danger to her chum'splans. 

Bilby had already, Ruth understood, offered more money to Wonota andTotantora for their services than Mr. Hammond thought it wise to risk inthe venture. And, after all, the temptation of money was great in theminds of the Indians. It might be that Bilby could get them away fromRuth's care. And then what would the Alectrion Film Corporation do aboutthis next picture that had been planned?

Aunt Alvirah made no complaint as to how or where the car went--as longas it went somewhere. She admitted she liked to travel fast. Having beenfor so many years crippled by that enemy, rheumatism, she seemed to findsome compensation in the speed of Helen's car. 

The inn was several miles away from the Long Bridge; but the road wasfairly straight, and as the car went over the ridges they could now andthen catch glimpses of the hotel. On the right were cornfields, the darkgreen blades only six or eight inches high; and scattered over them theomnipresent scarecrows which, in the spring, add at least picturesquenessto the New England landscape. 

Above the purring of the motor Aunt Alvirah raised her voice to remark tothe chums on the front seat:

"I don't see it now--did it fall down?"

"Did what fall down, Aunty?" asked Ruth, who, though troubled as she wasby her suspicions, could not ignore the little old woman. 

"That scarecrow I see coming up. I thought 'twas a gal picking up stonesin that field--the one this side of the hotel. It had a sunbonnet on, andit was just as natural! But it's gone. "

"I don't see any scarecrow there, " admitted Ruth, turning to look. 

At that moment, however, the car she had seen parked in the busheswheeled out into the highway ahead of them. It started on past the hotel. There was another figure beside that of the tubby Horatio Bilby on theseat. Ruth recognized Bilby at once. 

"Who's that?" asked Helen, slowing down involuntarily. 

"That's the man I spoke of, " explained Ruth, "I--I wonder who it isthat's with him?"

"A girl!" exclaimed Helen. "Do you suppose he has got Wonota?"

"Wonota--with a sunbonnet on?" cried her chum. 

"I bet he's running away with Wonota!" cried Helen, and started to speedup after the other car. 

Ruth laid a quick hand on her chum's arm. 

"Wait! Stop!" she cried. "See what a curiously acting thing that is hehas got beside him? Is--It can't be a girl, Helen!"

"It certainly isn't a boy, " declared her friend, with exasperation. "He'll get away from us. That is a fast car he is driving. "

"Wait!" exclaimed Ruth again, and as Helen brought her machine to anabrupt stop Aunt Alvirah was heard saying:

"Now, ain't that reediculous? Ain't it reediculous?"

"What is ridiculous?" asked Helen, looking back with a smile at thelittle old woman while Ruth opened the door and leaped out to the side ofthe road nearest the river. 

"Why, where are your eyes, Helen Cameron?" demanded Aunt Alvirah. "There's that scarecrow now. That feller is a-running away with it!"

Helen flashed another look along the road. The figure beside Bilby on theseat had been set upright again. Now the girl saw that it was nothing buta figure. It was no girl at all!

"What under the sun, Ruth--"

But Ruth was not in hearing. She had dashed into the bushes and to thespot where she had previously seen the roadster belonging to HoratioBilby parked. The bushes were trampled all about. Here and there werebits of torn cloth hanging to the thorns. Yonder was a slipper withrather a high heel. She recognized it as one belonging to Wonota, theOsage girl, and picked it up. The Indian maid was really attempting thefads, as well as the fancies, in apparel of her white sisters!

But what had become of the girl herself? She certainly would not haveremoved one of her pumps and thrown it away. Like Aunt Alvirah and Helen, Ruth knew that the figure beside Bilby in the car was not the missingIndian girl. He had attempted to use the scarecrow he had stolen from thecornfield across the road to bewilder anybody who might pursue him. 

And this very attempt of the rival picture producer to foul his trailimpressed Ruth that something serious regarding Wonota and her father wasafoot. If the Indian girl had not gone with Bilby, where had she gone?And where was Totantora?

Ruth could not believe that either Wonota or her father would provefaithless to their contract with Mr. Hammond--not intentionally, atleast. She hesitated there in the trampled bushes for a moment, wonderingif she ought not first to go on to the hotel and make inquiries. 

Then she heard something thrashing in the bushes not far away. Shestarted, peering all about, listening. The noise led her to the head of agully that sloped down toward the river's edge. It was bush-bestrewn andthe way was rough. Ruth plunged down the slant of it, and behind thefirst clump of brush she came upon a man struggling on the ground. 

His ankles and his wrists were lashed, and when the girl turned him overshe was amazed to see that he was most cruelly gagged with a piece ofstick and a handkerchief. 

"Totantora!" she screamed. "What is the matter? Where is Wonota?"

His glaring eyes seemed almost popping from their sockets. Hiscopper-colored face was a mask of demoniacal rage. His dignity as anIndian and his feelings as a father had been outraged. Yet, Ruth waspositive that the figure in the roadster beside Horatio Bilby was notWonota, the chief's daughter. 

Her strong and nimble fingers had gone to work almost at once upon thecord that held the Indians wrists. She loosened them in a few moments. 

Totantora leaped to his feet, drew a clasp-knife from the pocket of histrousers, snapped it open, and slashed through the cords about hisankles. 

"Where is Wonota? What has happened?" Ruth cried. 

The Indian slashed the handkerchief that held the gag in place, draggedit out, and cast it away. He made no reply to Ruth's question, butlifting up his head sent a long and quavering cry through the grove--acry that might have been the war-whoop of his tribe generations before. 

However, Ruth knew it was a signal to his daughter that he was free andwas in pursuit. If Wonota was where she could hear!

Speaking not at all to the anxious Ruth, Totantora started down the gullyto the riverside. The girl followed him, running almost as wildly as didthe Indian chief. 

Bounding out into the more open grove at the edge of the stream, Totantora uttered another savage yell. Ruth heard, too, the _put, put, put_, of a motor-boat. When she reached the water the boat she hadpreviously observed was some few yards from the bank. There were two menin it now, and Ruth saw at first glance that Wonota, likewise bound andgagged, lay propped up against the small over-decked part of the launch. 

The Indian chief halted not even to kick off his moccasins. He ran to theedge of the bank and, the water being deep, dived on a long slant intothe river. He rose almost instantly to the surface, and with a long, swift side-stroke followed after the motor craft, which was now gainingspeed. 

CHAPTER VII

EXPEDIENCY

Up in the Big North Woods Ruth Fielding had seen loons dive and swim (andof all the feathered tribe, loons are the master divers) and she hadwondered at the birds' mastery of the water. But no loon ever seemed moreat home in that element than did the Indian chief. 

Totantora tore through the water after the escaping motor-boat as thoughhe, too, were propelled by a motor. And his motor was more powerful, in ashort race at least, than that driving the launch in which Wonota washeld prisoner. 

Before the men who had abducted the Osage maiden could get their boat outof the little cove, Totantora reached the stern of it. He rose breasthigh in the water and clutched the gunwale with one hand. One of the menswung at him with a boathook; but the other picked up his canvas coat andmanaged to smother the chief's head and face in it for a minute. 

Totantora flung himself backward and dragged the canvas coat out of theman's hand. Indeed, he came near to dragging the man himself into thewater. 

The coat did not retard the Indian much. He grabbed it with both hands, spread it abroad, and then plunged with it under the stern of themotor-boat. At once the propeller ceased turning and the boat lostheadway. Totantora had fouled the propeller blades with the canvasjacket, and the abductors could not get away. 

The Indian lunged for the gunwale of the boat again. One of the men wasnow attending to the mechanism. The other beat at Totantora's hands withthe boathook. 

In a flash the chief let go of the rail with one hand and seized thestaff of the implement. One powerful jerk, and he wrenched the boathookfrom the white man's grasp. The latter fell sprawling into the bottom ofthe boat. With a display of muscle-power at which Ruth could not butmarvel, Totantora raised himself over the gunwale of the boat andscrambled into it. 

The second white man turned on him, but the Indian met him stooping, seized him around the waist, and tossed him, seemingly with scarcely aneffort, into the water. The other abductor scrambled forward to get outof his reach. The chief bent for a minute over his daughter, and thenRuth saw that the girl was free and that she stood up, unhurt. It was allover so quickly that it left Ruth breathless. 

"Miss Ruth! Miss Ruth!" cried the Indian girl. "I am all right. Myfather, Chief Totantora, would not let these bad white men carry me awaya captive. "

Ruth waved her hand to the younger girl. But she watched the white manwho was swimming for the shore. She was not afraid of him--any more thanthe Indian chief was fearful of the other white man perched in the bow ofthe motor-boat. 

The swimmer reached the bank, caught hold of an overhanging bush, anddragged himself out of the river. He was a hang-dog looking sort offellow, anyway; and in his saturated condition his appearance was notimproved. He lay panting for a minute like an expiring fish, and Ruthlooked down at him perhaps more contemptuously than she realized. 

"Well, who you looking at?" he growled at length. 

"I suppose I am looking at one of Mr. Horatio Bilby's choice assistants, "Ruth returned scornfully. 

"Huh? What do you know about Bilby?" demanded the fellow, evidently muchsurprised. 

"I know nothing very good of him, I am sure, " the girl of the Red Millreplied coolly. "And I am quite confident that you are a fit companionfor him. "

The fellow sat up and leered at her. 

"I ain't such a mighty fine sight just now, I guess, " he said. "But thereare worse than me. I didn't know there were any white folks interested inthis business. "

"You make a perfectly proper distinction, " Ruth told him. "Bilby is not awhite man--not in his business ethics I am sure. I want to warn you thatthose Indians have powerful friends and you would do well to have nothingmore to do with them. "

"I get you, " growled the fellow. "But take it from me; that Injun don'tneed no friends. He can take care of himself. He's as strong as a bull. "

"And with a temper you would best not ruffle. I do not know what Bilby'sscheme was, or how he got you into it. But take my advice and keep out ofany further association with Bilby in this matter. "

"You don't have to warn me and my partner, " said the fellow. "We gotenough right now. Is he coming ashore?"

He turned to look at the boat, and then leaped to his feet in some fear. Totantora, by leaning well over the stern of the boat, had dragged thetorn coat out of the propeller, and now he was coolly examining themechanism with the evident idea of starting the boat. The Indian seemedfamiliar with the driving power of such a craft. 

"I think he will bring his daughter ashore, " Ruth said composedly. "If Iwere you I would not cross him further. "

"I ain't going to, Miss, " said the fellow, now on his feet. "I see Jim iskeeping as far away from him as he can. Jim can't swim. "

"Go aside somewhere. When they reach the bank I will try to takeTotantora and the girl away with me. Do nothing to cross him, for thetemper of an Indian is not easily quelled. It just simmers and may breakout again at any time. "

"Believe me, " said the fellow, starting off through the bushes, "I ain'taiming to have another run-in with him. Not with my bare hands. I hope hedon't smash the boat, that's all. "

"I will do all I can to pacify Totantora, " said Ruth, and she really wassomewhat anxious on this point, for the grim countenance of the Indianchief threatened further reprisal. 

He was busy with the engine for a time; but by and by the regular poppingof the exhaust revealed the fact that everything was all right with it. The boat described a circle and came back into the cove and to the placewhere Ruth stood on the bank. 

The second white man, who was younger and looked less like a drowned rat, remained in the bow, staring back in apprehension at the Indian. Themoment he could do so, this man leaped ashore. 

"Say nothing to him, " advised Ruth. "I will try to take them both away. And, as I have warned your companion, have nothing more to do with Bilbyor his schemes. These Indians are my friends, and they have other friendswho are much more powerful than I am, I can assure you. "

"Yes, Miss, " said the man, politely enough. "I don't want to mix in withthat redskin. I guess not!"

Wonota stepped ashore and Ruth gave her the shoe she had lost. Her fatherfollowed her. He turned as though to set the boat adrift, but Ruth laidher hand upon his wet sleeve. 

"Let it alone, Totantora. I hope you will be advised by me. We will goright away from here. Instead of waiting until to-morrow, let us leavehere to-night and start for the North. "

Wonota said something to her father in their own tongue, and he looked atRuth more peacefully. 

"White lady is always my friend, I know; and Wonota's friend, " heobserved. "But these bad men tried to steal Wonota. "

"Tell me how it happened, " Ruth put in, hoping to change his trend ofthought and determination. 

"I will tell you, my friend, " said the Indian girl. "A little fat mancame in a car when Chief Totantora and I were walking in the road. He gotus to sit down yonder and talk to him. He is one of those who have triedto get Chief Totantora and me to go away from you to make pictures. Heoffers much money. And while we talked, those other two men crept upbehind us and they all seized Chief Totantora and me. We were bound andour mouths closed before we knew how many, or how few, our enemies were. Then my father was left in the wood and I was carried to the boat. I donot know what became of the little fat man. "

"I saw him drive away, " Ruth said. "It made me suspicious. I had alreadyseen and talked with the fat man, whose name is Bilby. Don't forget thatname, Wonota. "

"I will remember, " said the Indian girl, composedly. 

"He may make some other attempt to get possession of you. Some attempt byaid of the courts. "

"The white man's law is very strange, " muttered Totantora. 

"But we will get ahead of Bilby before he can do anything else, " Ruthwent on. "Miss Cameron's car is outside in the road. Go to the hotel andchange your clothes, Totantora, and I will take both you and Wonota backto the Red Mill. Until we get away for the North I shall not want you outof my sight. "

The Indian shook himself much as a dog might. A lighter expressionflickered over his dark face. 

"I shall not suffer cold from a wetting, " he said. "It is nothing. I havenothing at the hotel. We will go now. "

"Come on, then, " rejoined Ruth, promptly. "It is best that we get awaybefore Bilby can learn that his plan to make Wonota a captive miscarried. Hurry!"

She swept them in her earnestness out to the road where Helen and AuntAlvirah saw them with considerable surprise--particularly because of thesaturated condition of the Indian. 

"I declare, Ruth!" cried Helen, "you do manage to get into such perfectlylovely rows. What is the matter?"

But Ruth postponed all explanation for a later time. On their way back tothe Red Mill she did explain to Helen, however, that she intended to takethe two Indians to Cheslow and get a train for Albany that evening. 

"I will fool Bilby and whoever is aiding him. We will get away. "

"If you go to-night, so do I!" exclaimed her chum. "You can't lose me, Ruth Fielding. I can see that we are going to have perfectly scrumptioustimes before this picture you are going to make is finished. "

"I hope we'll fool Bilby--leave him behind, " sighed Ruth. 

"The worst of it is, we must leave Tommy-boy behind, " said Tom's twin. "Won't he be sore when he hears about it!"

CHAPTER VIII

AT CHIPPEWA BAY

Helen pronounced that exodus from the Red Mill "some hustle;" and reallyit was but a brief time that Ruth allowed for packing, dressing, andgetting to Cheslow for the eight-forty-five train, bound north. This wasa through train with sleeping cars, and stopped at Cheslow only onspecial occasions. Ruth determined that this was one of those occasions. 

She hustled Ben, the hired man, off to town ahead, and by the goodoffices of Mercy Curtis a compartment and berth were obtained on thatespecial train. Mercy kept the wires hot arranging this for her friend. 

Meanwhile, Helen rushed home in her car, packed her trunk and bag, hadthem loaded into the front of the car, and drove up the road again to theRed Mill where she picked up the two Indians and Ruth. Uncle Jabez andAunt Alvirah were sorry enough to see Ruth go; but this trip promised notto be a long one, for the picture should be made in five or six weeks. 

The Cameron's chauffeur had been instructed by Helen to "burn up theroad, " for there was none too much time before the train was due, and hedid as he was ordered. Indeed, there were ten minutes to spare when theyreached the station platform, and the girls spent that time chatting withMercy Curtis leaning out of her window of the telegraph office. 

"So, you are off on your travels again, " said the lame girl. "I wish Iwas a butterfly of fashion, too. "

"'Butterfly, '!" scoffed Helen. "Ruth, at least, is no butterfly. Shemight be called a busy bee with more truth. "

"Ah-ha, Miss Helen!" returned Mercy, shaking her finger, "you are theimprovident grasshopper--no less. "

Helen giggled. "Tom says that that old proverb, 'Go to the ant, thousluggard;' should read: 'Go to the ant and slug her. ' He does not lovework any more than I do. "

Again Ruth's expression of countenance was one of disapproval, but shemade no comment on Tom. The train thundered toward the station, slowingdown as though resenting being stopped in its swift career for even a fewmoments. 

Mr. Curtis, the station master, made a point himself of seeing that thebaggage of the party was put into the baggage car. The conductor andporter helped the girls aboard, and they found their sections. 

Ruth was determined that Wonota should not get out of her sight again, and the Indian girl was to occupy a berth in the stateroom. Totantora wasto have had the berth; but when he saw it made up and noted the crampedand narrow quarters offered him, he shook his head decidedly. He spentthe night in the porter's little room at the end of the car, and theporter, when he found out Totantora was an Indian chief, did not dareobject for fear of being scalped!

The party reached Hammond the following afternoon. Here they alightedinstead of at Redwood, the more popular station of those wishing to reachthe Thousand Islands by way of the electric road to Alexandria Bay. Ruthand her party were going direct to Chippewa Bay, for it was upon some ofthe more northern of the fourteen hundred or more isles that constitutethe "Thousand Islands" that Mr. Hammond had arranged for the filmcompany's activities at this time. 

A big touring car was waiting for the party, for one of the telegramsRuth had caused to be sent the evening before was to Mr. Hammond, andthey were glad to leave the Pullman and get into the open air. Totantora, even, desired to walk to Chippewa Bay, for he was tired of the whiteman's means of locomotion. Ruth and Wonota would not hear to this. 

"I guess we have eluded Bilby, " said the girl of the Red Mill; "but Ishall not feel that Wonota is safe, Totantora, unless you are near her atall times. You must keep watch of your daughter. She is a valuablepossession. "

For once Totantora smiled--although it was grimly. 

"A squaw did not use to be counted for much in my nation, " he said. "ButWonota is not like the old squaws. "

"Wonota is quite an up-to-date young woman, let me tell you, MrTotantora, " Helen told him briskly. 

The party remained over night at a small hotel at Chippewa Bay; but inthe morning Ruth and her companions entered a motor launch and weretransported to an island where the film producing company had beenestablished in several bungalows which Mr. Hammond had rented for thetime of their stay. 

The water between the small islands was as calm as a mill pond; but theparty caught glimpses from the launch of the breadth of the St. Lawrence, its Canadian shore being merely a misty blue line that morning. The rockyand wooded islands were extremely beautiful and as romantic in appearanceas the wilderness always is. Now and then a privately owned island, improved by landscape gardening into a modern summer estate, offeredcontrast to the wilder isles. 

The girls spent most of the day in getting settled. No work on the newpicture could be done for a couple of days, and Helen, naturally, lookedfor amusement. There were canoes as well as motor boats, and both thechums were fond of canoeing. Wonota, of course, was mistress of thepaddle; and with her the two white girls selected a roomy canoe and setout toward evening on a journey of exploration among the closer islands. 

One of the largest islands in the group was in sight--Grenadier Island;but that they learned was beyond the American line. They saw it only froma distance, keeping close to the New York shore as they did on this briefvoyage. The tall tamaracks and the other trees crowded some of theislands until they seemed veritable jungles. 

Some few, however, were bold and precipitous in the extreme. "Just thesort of place for pirate dens and robber caves, " Helen declared, shivering gleefully. 

"What a romantic puss you are, " laughed Ruth. 

"Well, those cracks in the rock yonder look so dark and dismal. And there_might_ be dark-skinned men with red bandanas bound around their heads, and knives in their belts, along with the rest of the scenery, Ruthie, "complained Helen. 

Wonota stared at her. "Do you mean, Miss Helen, that there arecholos--are greasers--in these woods? My geography book that I studyshows this country to be far, far from Mexico. "

"Oh, my aunt!" chuckled Helen. "She thinks nobody but Mexicans can weargay handkerchiefs bound about their noble brows. Wait till you seesure-enough pirates--"

"That is perfect nonsense, Wonota, " said Ruth, warningly. "Helen is onlyin fun. "

"Ah, " said the practical Indian maid, "I understand English--andAmerican; only I do not always grasp the--er--humor, do you call it?"

"Good!" applauded Ruth. "Serves you right, Helen, for your sillynonsense. "

"The Indians' fun is different, " explained Wonota, not wishing to offendthe white girl. 

"You are a pair of old sober-sides, that is what is the matter, " declaredHelen gaily. "Oh, Ruth! drive the canoe ashore yonder--on that rockybeach. Did you ever see such ferns?"

They brought the canoe carefully in to the shore, landing on a slopingrock which was moss-grown above the mark of the last flood. Ruth fastenedthe tow-rope to the staff of a slender sapling. Wonota got out to helpHelen gather some of the more delicately fronded ferns. Ruth turned herback upon them and began climbing what seemed to be a path among theboulders and trees. 

This was not a very large island, and it was well out from the Americanshore, but inside the line between the States and Canada. Although thepath Ruth followed seemed well defined, she scarcely thought the islandwas inhabited. 

As they had paddled past it in the canoe there had been no sign of man'spresence. It had been left in the state of nature, and nothing, itseemed, had been done to change its appearance from the time that thefirst white man had seen it. 

Some rods up the ascent Ruth came to an open place--a table of rock thatmight really have been a giant's dining-table, so flat and perfectlyshaped it was. She could look down upon Helen and Wonota, and they lookedup and called to her. 

"Look out for the pirates!" shouted Helen, with laughter. 

Ruth waved her hand, smiling, and, crossing the rock, parted the brushand stepped out of sight of her friends. Two steps she took through theclinging bushes when a most surprising figure started up before her. 

There was plenty of light, even if the sun had gone down. She was notuncertain at all as to the nature of the figure that confronted her--thatof a man. 

She saw almost instantly that the old man's brown eyes were more like achild's in expression than like an angry man's. He grinned at her, butthe grimace was involuntary or meaningless. 

"Hush!" he whispered. "Hush!"

Ruth remained both quiet and speechless, looking into his wrinkled oldface calmly. She thought he must be a beggar from his clothing, but shecould not imagine him a robber, nor even one of Helen's "pirates. " As shesaid nothing the old man repeated his sibilant warning:

"Hush!"

"I am 'hushing' just as hard as I can, " whispered the girl in return, andsmiling a little now. "Why must I 'hush'?"

"Hush!" he said again, quite as earnestly. "You are in danger of yourlife, young woman. "

"Not from you, I am sure, " she returned. "You would not try to hurt me. "

"Hush!" he repeated, looking back over his shoulder into the thickerwood. "They may come at any moment now. And although I am their king, they would kill you. You see, kings aren't as powerful now as they usedto be before the war. "

"So I understand, " agreed Ruth soberly. "But who are you king of--orwhat?"

"I am King of the Pipes, " whispered the old man. "You don't know whatthat means, " he added, scanning her puzzled face. "No. And that's thesecret. You cannot be told. "

"Oh, " murmured Ruth, somewhat amused, yet pitying his evident mentalstate. 

"Hush!" he said again. "You are in danger. Go away from this place atonce, and don't come here again. If my courtiers see you--Ha! Off withher head! I shall have to follow the kingly custom. It is not my fault, "he added, in the same low tone, shaking his head mournfully. "We kingshave to lead our lives, you know. "

"It must be a dreadful life, if you have to order people's heads cut offwhen they have done you no harm, " Ruth ventured. 

"But my people would not believe that you would do no harm, " heexplained. "I can see that you are quite harmless. But they have not theintelligence I possess. You understand?"

"Quite, " said Ruth. "And I will go right away. Thank you for yourkindness. "

"That is right, young woman. Go away. And do not return. It is not safehere. "

"Can't--can't I do anything for you?"

"Hush!" warned the old man. "No, I do not think you can. I do not care todivide my power with any consort. And, unless you are of noble blood Icould not make you Queen of the Pipes. That would never do. Such amésalliance would never do. My people would never stand for it--oh, never!"

"I quite understand that, " said Ruth, having difficulty to keep fromsmiling. 

"Now go, young woman, " the man said pompously. "And do not return. "

"I will obey you, " said Ruth soberly. "If you are sure I cannot helpyou. "

"Hush!" he warned her again, waving his hand. "They are likely to come atany moment. And then--"

The girl backed through the bushes and stepped upon the table-like rock. She would have bade him good-bye, but he hissed after her anothersibilant "hush!" and disappeared as mysteriously as he had come. 

Ruth descended to the canoe and waited until they were well away from theisland before she said a word to the other girls about the queer old man. 

CHAPTER IX

A FILM MYSTERY

"I told you there were pirates there, " Helen declared that evening, whenshe and Ruth were in the room they shared together. Wonota slept in aroom adjoining and had already retired. 

"I don't think that poor old man was a pirate, " returned Ruth, smiling alittle. 

"Didn't he tell you he was 'king of the pirates'?" demanded Helen. 

Ruth laughed outright. "He said he was 'king of the pipes'--whatever thatmay mean. Poor old fellow!"

"Well, it seems he most certainly had been 'smoking the pipe'--or do theycall it 'hitting the pipe'?"

"Don't ask me to aid you with any information on slang, " admonished herfriend. "I don't suppose he is really king of anything except of acountry of his dreams--poor fellow. "

"Dear me!" grumbled Helen. "You never will boost romance, Ruth Fielding. Maybe there are pirates on that island. "

"Or pipes, " said Ruth calmly. 

"Never mind. When the boys come I am going to shoo them on to thatplace. "

"What boys?" demanded Ruth in surprise. 

"The Copleys arrive to-morrow. And their place is not five miles awayfrom this very spot. We'll get a motor-boat and go down there to-morrowevening and welcome them. I got a telegram from Tom when I came back fromcanoeing. I forgot to tell you. "

"Tom!" exclaimed Ruth, and for perhaps the first time in her life sheseemed undesirous of hearing about Tom Cameron. 

Helen gave her a somewhat puzzled side glance as she found the telegramand gave it to her chum, who read:

 "Vacation begins to-morrow. Will be with you next day. Tom. "

Helen giggled. "You can make up your mind that he knows Chess Copley hasstarted for this neck of woods. Tom is becoming Mr. Jealous Jellaby. Didyou ever?"

"I am sorry Tom considers it necessary to take a vacation when he hasonly just begun work with your father, Helen. "

"There you go again!" exclaimed her chum. "I don't understand you at all, Ruth Fielding. Tom doesn't have to work. "

"It might be better if he did, " said Ruth, and refused to discuss thepoint further that evening. 

The next day was just as lovely as that first one. Preparations wereunder way all over the island Mr. Hammond had rented for the making ofthe picture which Ruth had written. The continuity was being studied byMr. Hooley, the director; and the principals had been furnished withtheir detail. 

The ordinary participants in the filming of a picture--the "extras"--seldomknow much about the story. They merely appear in certain scenes and do whatthey are told. As the scenes are not made in sequence these actors of thesmaller parts have little idea of the story itself. 

Ruth, under the advice of Mr. Hammond, had chosen a certain series ofincidents relating to early French-Canadian history, and it began with anallegory of the bringing of the Christian religion to the Indians by thefirst French priests. This allegory included the landing of the Frenchupon the shore of a rocky island where they were met by the wonderingIndians, and Mr. Hooley's assistant had chosen the spot for this scene tobe "shot, " not far from the place where the company had its headquarters. 

Ruth paid little attention to the locations until the moment arrived forthe camera work. In fact, after supplying the detailed script she hadlittle to do with the preparation of the picture until the scenes weremade. She had never made continuity, as it is called, for that is more orless of a mechanical process and is sure to interfere with the creativefaculty of the screen writer. 

In the afternoon of this day Helen engaged a motor-boat, and she and Ruthset out for the Copley island, which was some miles away, towardAlexandria Bay. Caretakers and servants had been at work there for sometime, it was evident, for the lawns were neatly shaved, the gardens infull growth, and the family were already comfortably settled in theirsummer home. 

Chess Copley must have been on the watch (could it be possible that hehad inside information about this early visit of Helen and Ruth?) for hecame running down to the dock before the gardener could reach that pointto fasten the boat's line. 

"Hurrah!" he shouted. "I was just wondering if we would see you girlsto-day; and if you hadn't come I should have got out our launch and triedto find your camp this evening. "

"Oh, hullo, Chess, " Helen said coolly as she stepped ashore, refusing hisassistance. "Where are the girls?"

"There they are--waiting for you on the porch, " he said, rather subduedit would seem by her bruskness. 

Helen started directly for the wide veranda of the villa-like house thattopped the higher part of the island. There were several acres of groundsabout the Copley house, for the whole island was cultivated to thewater's edge. There was nothing wild left in the appearance of theproperty, save a few of the tall forest trees that had been allowed tostand and some huge boulders almost covered with climbing vines. 

Ruth gave Chess her hand--and he squeezed it warmly. She gave him a franksmile, and Chess seemed comforted. 

"Nell's dreadfully tart with a fellow, " he grumbled. "She's nothing likeshe used to be. But you are kind, Ruth. "

"You should not wear your heart on your sleeve, " she told him briskly, asthey followed Helen Cameron toward the veranda. 

The two girls from the moving picture camp passed a pleasant evening withtheir New York friends. The Copley girls always managed to gather, Helendeclared, "perfectly splendid house parties;" and they had brought withthem several companionable girls and young men. 

Music and dancing filled the evening, and it was ten o'clock when the twochums from Cheslow sought their motor-boat and set out for the camp onthe Chippewa Bay island. Chess Copley had kept by Ruth's side almost allthe evening, and although Helen treated him so cavalierly, she seemedprovoked at her chum for paying the young man so much attention. 

"I don't understand what you see in Chess, " she said in a vexed tone tothe girl of the Red Mill. "He's nothing much. "

"He is pleasant, and you used to like him, " said Ruth quietly. 

"Humph!" Helen tossed her head. "I found him out. And he's not to becompared with Tommy-boy. "

"I quite agree with you--that is, considering Tom as a brother, " observedRuth, and after that refused to be led into further discussion regardingChess Copley. 

It was not often that Ruth and Helen had a disagreement. And this was notreally of importance. At least, there was no sign of contention betweenthem in the morning. 

To tell the truth, there was so much going on, on this day, that thegirls could scarcely have found time to quarrel. The sun was bright andthe sky cloudless. It was an ideal day for out-of-door "shots, " and thecamera men and Mr. Hooley had the whole company astir betimes. 

The few real Indians, besides Wonota and Totantora, in the company, andall those "extras" who were dressed as aborigines, got into theircostumes before breakfast. Soon after eight o'clock the company got awayin barges, with launches to tow them through the quiet waterways. 

In a costume play like this that had been planned, the participantsnaturally make a very brilliant spectacle wherever they appear. But amongthe islands of Chippewa Bay there were few spectators at this time savethe wild fowl. 

"And they, " Helen said, "might be descendants of the very birds wholooked on the actual first appearance of the white man in thiswilderness. Isn't it wonderful?"

When Mr. Hooley, megaphone in hand and stationed with the two cameras onone of the decked-over barges, had got his company in position and theaction was begun, it was indeed an impressive picture. Of course, a sceneis not made off-hand--not even an outdoor pageant like this. The detailmust be done over and over again before the cranks of the cameras areturned. It was almost noon before Mr. Hooley dared tell the camera men to"shoot the scene. "

The flag-decorated barge bearing the Frenchmen to the rocky shore movedforward into focus in a stately way, while the Indians gathered in aspectacular group on the sloping shore--tier upon tier of dark faces, wearing nodding feather head-dresses, blankets, deerskin leggings, andother garments of Indian manufacture--all grouped to make a brilliantspectacle. 

Totantora, a commanding figure, and his daughter as _White Fawn_, thedemure yet dominant princess of the Hurons, stood forth from thebackground of the other Indians in a graceful picture. Helen wasdelighted and could not help shouting to the Osage girl that she was"great"--a remark which elicited a frown from the director and anadmonition from Ruth. 

Behind the grouped Indians was the greenery of the primeval forest withwhich this rocky island seemed to be covered. The cameras whirred whilethe barge containing the actors representing the Frenchmen pushed closeinto the shore and the whites landed. 

A boy carried ashore the great cross, and with him came a soldier bearingthe lilies of France, the standard of which he sank into the turf. Thedetail of costume and armament had been carefully searched out by Ruthherself, and the properties were exact. She was sure that this part ofthe picture at least could not be criticised but to be praised. 

It was three o'clock before the party disembarked and went back to thecamp for a delayed lunch. The remainder of the afternoon was devoted tothe taking of several "close-ups" and an interior scene that had beenbuilt on the island rather than in the city studio of the Alectrion FilmCorporation. 

The films taken earlier in the day were developed, and that evening afterdinner Ruth and Helen joined Mr. Hammond and Mr. Hooley in the projectionroom to see a "run" of the strip taken at the island where the Frenchmenlanded. 

"Do you know that that island is the one we landed on ourselves the otherevening, Ruth?" Helen remarked, as they took their seats and waited inthe darkness for the operator to project the new film. 

"Do you mean it? I did not notice. The island where I met that strangeold man?"

"The pirate--yes, " giggled Helen. "Only we went ashore at the far end ofit. "

"I never thought of it--or of him, " admitted Ruth. "Poor, crazy oldfellow--"

The machine began its whirring note and they fell silent. Upon the silversheet there took shape and actuality the moving barge with its bannersand streamers and costumed actors. Then a flash was given of the Indiansgathering on the wild shore--wondering, excited, not a little fearful ofthe strange appearance of the white men. The pageant moved forward to itsconclusion--the landing of the strangers and the setting up of thebanners and the cross. 

But suddenly Ruth shrieked aloud, and Mr. Hammond shouted to the operatorto "repeat. " The dense underbrush had parted behind the upper tier ofIndians and in the aperture thus made appeared a face and part of thefigure of a man--a wild face with straggling hair and beard, and theupper part of his body clad in the rags of a shirt. 

"What in thunder was that, Hooley?" cried Mr. Hammond. "Somebody buttedin. It's spoiled the whole thing. I thought your men warned everybody offthat island?"

"I never saw that scarecrow before, " declared the director, quite asangrily. 

But Ruth squeezed Helen's hand hard. 

"The King of the Pipes, " she whispered. 

CHAPTER X

A SMELL OF SMOKE

The discovery of the face and figure of the old man whom Ruth had oncemet and spoken with on the island thrust out of the undergrowth andshowing through a good part of the length of film that had been made thatfirst day, caused a good deal of disturbance. The King of the Pipes, ashe had called himself, was entirely "out of the picture. " Hisrepresentation on the celluloid could not be removed. And he had been infocus for so many feet of the film that it was utterly impossible to cutit, and thus save the picture. 

"It is a wretched piece of business, " Mr. Hammond said to Ruth, as theycame from the projection room after seeing the reel run off again andagain. "The entire scene will have to be made over. And, aside from thatirremediable fault, I consider the work remarkably good. Mr. Hooley maynever again be able to get it so good. "

Ruth and Helen had told him about the old crazy man--a hermit, perhaps--and Mr. Hammond had given instructions that before the retakingof the scene was tried the island should be searched for the King of thePipes. 

"Whoever, or whatever, he is, " the producer said, "he's got to be lookedafter while we are making this picture. He is likely to burst mostunexpectedly into any of the outdoor scenes, and on any location, andbreak up the show. This is going to cost money, Miss Ruth. "

"I know it, Mr. Hammond. But it never crossed my mind that it was on thatvery island I had my meeting with the man. "

"When Hooley tries to shoot the picture again we must send somebody upinto that island to watch for the old fellow. He'd better be underconfinement, anyway, if he's crazy. "

"The poor old thing. " Ruth sighed. "I don't think he means any harm--"

"He's harmed us all right, " grumbled the president of the Alectrion FilmCorporation. "I tell you, a day's work like this--with such salaries aswe pay, and supplies and all--mounts into real money. "

"Oh, " said Ruth, "some of the film can be saved. All that until theFrenchmen land--"

"We won't dare risk it. In a costume story like this somebody is sure toget his dress, or armor, or something, different next time from what itwas to-day. And if we try to save any part of this piece of film thechange will show up in the finished picture. Every critical spectatorwill see the break and will comment upon it. Might as well make up ourminds to take the loss; but we must be sure that a similar accident doesnot occur again. "

"Will Mr. Hooley risk taking the scene over on that island?" asked Ruththoughtfully. 

"Why not? It is a fine location--couldn't be beat. We've got to shoo thatold man out of it, that's all. "

The girl had an idea that if she could meet the queer old man again shemight be able to convince him that some other island would serve quite aswell for his "kingdom" as that particular isle. At any rate, she hatedthe thought of his being abused or roughly treated. 

Soon after the fiasco in the projection room, Tom Cameron arrived bymotor-boat from the town across the bay. Now, Ruth was secretly very gladto see Tom. She always would be glad to see his sunny face, no matter howor when. But she could not approve of his being here at the ThousandIslands at this particular time. 

Tom had grown up to be one of those young men who do not know what theywant to do in life, and the reaction from the strain of his military lifehad, as was natural, intensified this tendency to drift. After the timethat he had determined to be a soldier, then to go West and hunt Indiansand grizzly bears, and then shifted to the desire to be a pirate or apoliceman, Tom Cameron had really expressed very little taste for anycommercial pursuit. 

He had made his mark in his preparatory school and college in severallines of athletics. But a boy in his position would scarcely become aprofessional baseball player or pull an oar for a living. To tell thetruth, Tom had never shown much aptitude for his father's business. Drygoods did not interest him. 

Yet when he had come home after the armistice Ruth thought he was goingto buckle right down to business with Mr. Cameron's firm. There seemed tobe a super-abundant supply of energy in Tom that had to be worked off. And Ruth thought it would be worked off properly under the yoke ofbusiness. Besides, Mr. Cameron was getting no younger, and he ought tohave the support of his only son in business affairs. 

But the last winter, since Ruth and the Cameron twins had returned fromthe Northwest, things had not gone with Tom quite as the girl of the RedMill would have chosen. 

Yet she felt that it was not really her business to interfere. Indeed, she did not purpose to interfere. If she undertook to advise Tom it wouldplease him only too well--that she knew, of course. 

For Tom considered Ruth quite as much his property as Helen--only in aslightly different way. And if Ruth showed in any manner that sheconsidered Tom her property--well, it would be all off, to use one ofHelen's favorite expressions. 

There was no engagement between Ruth and Tom--not even a tacitlyrecognized one. In times of stress and need Tom had proved himself to bea very good friend indeed, and Ruth fully appreciated this. But duringthis past winter he had been somewhat spoiled--or so the girl thought. 

In the first place, Helen was determined to make a hero of her handsomebrother. Captain Cameron was pushed to the fore by his sister in everypossible way and manner. Helen had many gay friends in New York--she hadmet them through the Stones, for Helen had often been with Jennie whenRuth was elsewhere and more seriously engaged. 

Naturally Tom had been one with his sister in gay parties, dances, theater groups, supper crowds, and all the rest. Business had gone by theboard with Tom; and before Ruth realized it the young returned soldierhad lapsed into a butterfly existence that busy Ruth did not approve. Especially, did she believe, was such an aimless life bad for TomCameron. 

She met him in the living room of the bungalow, however, with her usualwarmth; perhaps "lack of warmth" would be the better expression. Foralthough Ruth was always quietly cordial with most people, she was never"hail fellow, well met" with anybody, unless it was her own, dear, oldgirl friends of Briarwood Hall. 

She resisted, however, making any criticism upon Tom's presence in themoving picture camp. Everybody in the house--and there were severalmembers of the company there besides Mr. Hammond and the director--greetedTom Cameron cordially. He was a favorite with them all. 

And the minute Totantora heard of Tom's arrival, the Osage chief appearedat the door, standing with glittering eyes fixed on the ex-captain andunmoved expression of countenance while he waited to catch Tom'sattention. 

"Bless my heart!" cried the rollicking Tom, "here's my old buddy!Totantora, how are you?"

They shook hands, the Indian gravely but with an expression in his eyesthat revealed a more than ordinary affection for the young white man. InFrance and along the Rhine Totantora, the Osage chief, had become thesworn follower of the drygoods merchant's son--a situation to causeremark, if not wonder. 

Tom had learned a few words of the Osage tongue and could understand someof Totantora's gutturals. What the chief said seemed at one point torefer to Ruth, who, quite unconscious, was talking with Mr. Hammondacross the room. Tom glanced at Ruth's back and shook his head slightly. But he made no audible comment upon what the Indian said. 

He did not, indeed, see much of Ruth that night; but in one moment ofprivacy she said to Tom:

"Do you want to make an early morning excursion--before Lazybones Helenis roused from her rosy slumbers?"

"Bet you!" was Tom's boyish reply. 

"Six o'clock, then, at the dock. If you are there first rouse out Willie, the boatman, and offer him a five dollar bill from me to take us throughthe islands in the _Gem_. That's his boat. "

"I'll find him to-night and make sure, " said Tom promptly. 

"You are a faithful servitor, " laughed Ruth, and left him before Tomcould take any advantage of her kindness. 

The appointment was kept to the letter and minute in the morning. Helenwas still asleep when Ruth dressed and stole out of the bungalow. Notmany of the people on the island, save the cooks and dining-roomemployees, were astir. But Tom and the boatman--and the _Gem_--were atthe dock in readiness. 

Ruth gave Willie his instructions. He was to make a landing at the farend of the island on which the picture had been taken the day before. Itwas too early for any of Mr. Hooley's men to be over there looking forthe old man whose face had spoiled several hundred feet of good film. Ruth wished, if possible, to first interview the strange man. 

She took Tom into her confidence at once about the King of the Pipes. Shedid not believe the man was so crazy that he ought to be shut up in anasylum. He was merely "queer. " And if they could get him off the islandand out of the way while the picture was being shot, he might then goback to his hermit life and play at being king all he wished to. 

"What a lark!" exclaimed Tom, looking at the matter a good deal as histwin sister did. "And you are constantly falling in with queercharacters, Ruth. "

"You might better say they are falling in with me, for I am sure I do notintentionally hunt them up, " complained Ruth. "And this poor old man hascost us money enough. "

"It is too bad, " was Tom's comment. 

"Worse than that, perhaps Mr. Hooley will never again get as fine anallegorical picture as he did yesterday. They were all in the spirit ofthe piece when the shot was made. "

They arrived at the sloping stone beach and landed as Ruth and the girlshad before disembarked. Ruth led Tom up the rough path into the woodsbeyond the table-rock. The trees stood thick, and the bushes were thorny, but they pushed through to an open space surrounding an old, gnarled, lightning-riven beech. The top of this monarch of the ancient forest hadbeen broken off and the line of its rotted trunk and branches could bemarked amid the undergrowth. But the staff of it stood at least thirtyfeet in height. 

"What a spread of shade it must have given in its day, " said Tom. "Allthese other tall trees have grown up since the top broke off. "

"Quite so, " agreed Ruth. "But where do you suppose that queer old man hashis camp?"

They looked all about the island, coming back at last to the riven beech. But they found no mark of human occupancy on the island. 

"I smell wood smoke, just the same, " Tom declared, sniffing the air. "There is a fire somewhere near. "

They saw no smoke, however, nor did they find any cavity in the rocksthat seemed to have been occupied by man or used as the rudest kind ofcamp. 

"Maybe he doesn't live on this island after all, " said Tom. "He could getto half a dozen other islands from here in a light canoe. Or even on araft. "

"He spoke as though he considered this particular island his kingdom, "rejoined Ruth. "This was the only place he warned me away from--not fromthe islands in general. I don't understand it at all, Tom. And I don'twant the men to be unkind to him. "

"Well, it looks to me, " observed her friend, "that if we cannot find him, they will be unable to find him as well. So I wouldn't worry, Ruth. "

But the girl went back to the Gem and sailed again to the headquarters ofthe moving picture company not at all satisfied as to the result of theirundertaking. 

CHAPTER XI

BILBY AGAIN

The work of picture making that day went without a hitch. Mr. Hooley sentseveral men into the woods above the spot on the shore of the "Kingdom ofPipes, " as Helen insisted upon calling the island where the prologue ofthe picture was made, and they remained on watch there during theactivities of the company below. 

When the film was developed and run off in the projection room thatevening it was pronounced by all--even by Mr. Hammond--as good in detailas the spoiled reel. 

From that point the work went on briskly, for the weather remainedperfect for picture taking. Ruth was busy; but she could give some timeto enjoyment, too, especially in the evening; and that next evening whenChess Copley appeared in his own motor-boat, the _Lauriette_, she wasglad to join a moonlight boating party which ventured as far asAlexandria Bay, where they had supper and danced at the pavilion, returning to the picture camp in the early hours of the morning. 

Ruth was Chessleigh's particular guest on this occasion, and Tom andHelen Cameron went in another launch. 

The moonlight upon the islands and the passages of silvery water betweenthem was most beautiful. And Ruth enjoyed herself immensely. That is, shefound the occasion enjoyable until they got back to the bungalow and hadbidden the Copleys and their party good night. Then the girl of the RedMill found her roommate rather irritable. Helen pouted and was franklycross when she spoke. 

"I don't see what you find so interesting in Chess Copley, " she observed, brushing her hair before the glass. 

"He is nice I think, " replied Ruth placidly. 

"And you just ignore Tommy-boy. "

"I could not very well refuse Chess when he invited me into his launch. Idid not know you and Tom were going in the other boat. "

"Well, I wasn't going with Chess. And I wouldn't let Tommy tag afteryou. "

"I wish you wouldn't be so foolish, Helen, " sighed her chum. 

"If you act this way, " declared the rather unreasonable Helen, "you'llspoil our whole visit at the Thousand Islands. "

"My goodness!" exclaimed Ruth, for once showing exasperation, "you do nottalk very sensibly, Helen. I have come here to work, not to play. Pleasebear that in mind. If you think I spoil your sport I will not join anyother evening parties. "

The next evening when the Copley party came over to get acquainted withsome of the moving picture people and arrange for a big dance on Saturdaynight, Ruth was as good as her word, and remained in Mr. Hammond'soffice, recasting certain scenes in her story that Mr. Hooley proposed tomake next day. 

Helen was sure Ruth was "mad" and kept out of the way intentionally. Shetold Tom so. But she did not choose to relieve Chess Copley's lonelinesswhen she saw him mooning about. 

Whenever Chess tried to speak to Helen in private she ran away from him. Whether it was loyalty to her brother, Tom, or some other reason thatmade Helen treat Copley so unkindly, the fact remained that Chess wasplainly not in Helen's good books, although she made much of the twoCopley girls. 

The next day Ruth was quite as busy, for the making of the picture wasgoing ahead rapidly while the good weather lasted. This story she hadwritten was more of a pageant than anything she had yet essayed. Thescenes were almost all "on location, " instead of being filmed under aglass roof. 

Helen and Tom did not seem to understand that their friend could not gooff fishing or sailing or otherwise junketing whenever they would like tohave her. But picture making and directors, and especially sunlight, willnot wait, and so Ruth tried to tell them. 

It was Chess Copley, after all, who seemed to have the betterappreciation of Ruth's situation just at this time. Before a week hadpassed he was almost always to be found at Ruth's beck and call; for whenshe could get away from the work of picture making, Chess turned up asfaithfully as the proverbial bad penny. 

"You are not a bad penny, however, Chess, " she told him, smiling. "Youare a good scout. Now you may take me out in your motor-boat. If it istoo late to fish, we can at least have a run out into the river. Howpretty it is to-day!"

"If everybody treated me as nicely as you do, Ruth, " he said, rathersoberly, "my head would be turned. "

"Cheer up, Chess, " she said, laughing. "I don't say the worst is yet tocome. Perhaps the best will come to you in time. "

"You say that only to encourage me I fear. "

"I certainly don't say it to discourage you, " she confessed. "Goingaround like a faded lily isn't going to help you a mite--and so I havealready told you. "

"Huh! How's a fellow going to register joy when he feels anything but?"

"You'd make a poor screen actor, " she told him. "See Mr. Grand to-day. Hehas an ulcerated tooth and is going to the Bay to-night to have ittreated. Yet, as the French voyageur, he had to make love to Wonota andMiss Keith, both. Some job!"

"That fellow makes love as easy as falling off a log, " grumbled Chess. "Inever saw such a fellow. "

"But the girls flock to see him in any picture. If he were my brother--orhusband--I would never know when he was really making love or justregistering love. Still actors live in a world of their own. They are notlike other people--if they are really good actors. "

Copley's _Lauriette_ shot them half way across the broad St. Lawrencebefore sunset, and from that point they watched the sun sink in the westand the twilight gather along the Canadian shore and among the islands onthe American side. 

When Chessleigh was about to start the engine again and head for thecamp--and dinner--they suddenly spied a powerful speed boat coming outfrom the Canadian side. It cleaved the water like the blade of a knife, throwing up a silver wave on either side. And as it passed the_Lauriette_ Ruth and her companion could see several men in her cockpit. 

"There are those fellows again, " Chess remarked. "Wonder what they are upto? That boat passed our island yesterday evening and the crowd in herthen acted to me as though they were drunk. "

"I should think----Why!" exclaimed Ruth suddenly breaking off in what shewas first going to say, "one of those men is a Chinaman. "

"So he is, " agreed Chessleigh Copley. 

"And that little fat man--see him? Why, Chess! it looks like----"

"Who is it?" asked the young fellow, in surprise at Ruth's excitement. 

"It's Bilby!" gasped Ruth. "That horrid man! I I hoped we had seen thelast of him. And now he's right here where we are working with Wonota. "

She had said so much that she had to explain fully about Bilby, whilethey sat and watched the speed boat disappear up the river. Ruth was sureshe had made no mistake in her identification of the rival pictureproducer who had made her so much trouble back at the Red Mill. 

"I must tell Mr. Hammond at once, " she concluded. "If Bilby is here, heis here for no good purpose, I can be sure. And if he has a boat likethat at his command, we must keep double watch. "

"You think he would try to abduct Wonota again?" queried Chess. 

"I would believe that fellow capable of anything, " she returned. "I meananything that did not call for personal courage on his part. "

"Humph!" murmured Chess thoughtfully. "I wonder what he was doing withthe Chinaman in his party. You know, sometimes Chinamen are smuggledacross from Canada against the emigration laws of the States. "

He headed the _Lauriette_ for the camp then, and they arrived there in arather serious mood. 

CHAPTER XII

THE DANCE AT ALEXANDRIA BAY

"You might have been mistaken, I suppose, Miss Ruth?" suggested Mr. Hammond, the president of the film corporation, sitting at his desk inthe room of the main bungalow which he used as an office. "It was growingdark when that speed boat passed you and your friend, was it not?"

"Not out on the river, Mr. Hammond. It was light enough for us to see themen in that boat plainly. Just as sure as one of them was a Chinaman, theshort, fat man was Horatio Bilby. "

"It doesn't seem possible that the fellow would chase away up here afterus when he so signally failed down below. My lawyer tells me that he hadno real authority from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to secure Wonota'sservices, after all. "

"He is a man who would not need much authority to attempt any meanthing, " said the girl hotly. 

"That may be true, " admitted Mr. Hammond. "But it seems quite toosensational. " He smiled, adding: "Quite too much like a movie plot, eh?"

"You say yourself that he has obtained the production rights to those'Running Deer' stories that have appeared in the _Gotham Magazine_, " saidRuth, with earnestness. "They are good stories, Mr. Hammond. I have readthem. "

"Yes. I believe they are pretty good material for pictures. That is, ifthey were handled by a practical scenario writer like yourself. "

"It is too bad you did not get them. "

"Well, Bilby was ahead of us there. Somehow, he got backing and boughtthe picture and dramatic rights to the tales outright. He can findsomebody besides Wonota to play _Running Deer_. "

"He seems to have set his heart on our Wonota. "

"Yes. He did make Totantora a whacking good offer. I must admit he did. Icould not begin to see such a price for the girl's services. And on amere speculation. But I pointed out to Totantora that, after all, apromise is only a promise. He and Wonota have already had considerablehard cash from us, " and Mr. Hammond ended with a laugh. 

He was evidently not so much impressed by the possible danger of Bilby'spresence in the Thousand Islands as Ruth could have wished. Shedetermined herself, however, to be sharply on the watch for thereappearance of the coarse little fat man who had so troubled her and theIndians at the Red Mill. 

She took Totantora into her confidence, after speaking to Mr. Hammond, although she did not say a word to Wonota. Despite the natural stoicismof the Osage maiden, Ruth did not know but that Wonota might becomenervous if she knew the plotting Bilby was near at hand. 

The chief listened to Ruth's warning with a certain savage anger in hislook that warned Ruth not to push the suggestion of Bilby's determinationto obtain possession of Wonota too far. The chief was not a patient man, and the possible threat against the safety of his daughter roused in himthe instinct of defence. 

"Me watch, " he said. "That fat man come here, me chase him away. Yes!"

"Don't do him any harm, Totantora, " warned Ruth. "But tell Mr. Hammond orme if you see him. "

Nobody saw Bilby immediately, however; and as several days passed Ruthbegan to wonder if, after all, she had not been mistaken in heridentification of the fat man in the boat. 

Meanwhile, the making of the picture went on steadily; but somethingelse--and something Helen Cameron at least considered of moment--wasplanned during this time. 

Many other summer residents of the Thousand Islands besides the Copleyshad now arrived, and the gaiety of the season was at its height. Therewas one very large hotel at Alexandria Bay, and it was planned to use itsballroom for a "big war dance, " to quote Helen. It was to be a costumedance, and everybody that appeared on the floor must be dressed in Indiancostume. 

Wonota helped the chums and the actresses with the Alectrion FilmCorporation who attended, in the getting up of their costumes and thestaining of their faces and arms. The Osage girl herself wore a beautifulbeaded robe, feather-trimmed and brilliantly dyed. It was her "coronationrobe" in the picture she was helping to film. But Mr. Hammond, wholikewise attended the dance, allowed the girl to wear this finery, whichreally was part of the "props" of the company. 

Launches were engaged from Chippewa Bay to take most of those from thecamp who attended the dance, either as participants in the costume reviewor as spectators, but Chess Copley arranged to come for his particularfriends in the _Lauriette_. 

Helen was tempted to refuse to go in the Copley launch; but when she sawJean and Sara Copley beside their brother, she went aboard with Ruth andTom. There actually was no friction between the two young men, althoughTom usually addressed Chess by that opprobrious nickname, 'Lasses, whileChess retorted by scoffing at all the ex-captain's opinions and advice onany and all subjects. 

Really, had she not felt that she was partly the cause of this mildstrife, Ruth would have laughed at the two. They were, after all, butgrown-up boys. 

It was a gay party aboard the _Lauriette_, nevertheless. Even Wonota(whom Ruth was keeping with her) was gay. And she was so pretty in herbeautiful costume that when they arrived at the hotel the young men atthe dance vied in their attempts to have her for a partner on the floor. 

There was a fine band and the dancing floor was smooth. Even Mr. Hammondwent on to the floor, having secured a costume, and Mother Paisley, whoacted as chaperon for the moving picture girls, was as light as anybodyon her feet and the embodiment of grace. 

"Actor folk nowadays, " the old woman told Ruth once, "are not trained asthey once were. I came of circus folk. My people had been circusperformers in the old country for generations before my father and mothercame over here. My husband was a trapeze performer. 

"And working on the bars makes one supple and limber beyond any otherform of exercise. Afterward, while still a young girl, I was in theballet. At least, when one has had my training, one brings to thespeaking stage a grace and carriage that can scarcely be secured in anyother way. 

"As for this moving picture business, " she sighed, "I see these poorgirls as awkward as heifers--and they are really learning very little. They depend upon the director to tell them how a lady should enter aroom, and how to walk. But often the director has never seen a real ladyenter a room! Directors of moving pictures are not masters of deportmentas our old dancing masters were. "

Ruth always listened to strictures upon the moving picture art and gainedwhat she could from such criticism. And the harshest critics the motionpictures have are the people who work in them. But, after all, Ruth had avision. 

She felt that in spite of all the "great, " "grand, " "magnificent, ""enormous" pictures already advertised upon the billboards, the publicwas still waiting for a really well made and properly written and actedseries of pictures that claimed neither more sensationalism than theypossessed, nor were hastily and carelessly made. 

Ruth liked to work with Mr. Hammond, and he had been very kind andconsiderate of her. But she felt that, untrammeled, she would be able tomake better pictures than she had made with him. She wanted a free hand, and she felt the insistence of the treasurer's office at her elbow. Moneycould be lavished upon anything spectacular--for instance, like thisFrench-Indian picture they were making. But much had to be "speeded up"to save money in other phases of production. 

Mr. Hammond, like most of the other moving picture producers, thoughtonly of the audience coming out of the theater with "ohs!" and "ahs!"upon their lips regarding the spectacular features in the film shown. Ruth wanted to go deeper--wanted to make the impression upon the mindsand intelligence of the audiences. She felt that the pictures could besomething bigger than mere display. 

But this is all aside from the fun they had at the costume dance. Ruthand Helen both danced with Mr. Hammond and Mr. Grand and with severalothers of the moving picture people, as well as with their own friends. Chess got the second dance with Ruth; and then he had the third; and thengot the sixth. He might have gone on all the evening coming back to herand begging the favor had Ruth not insisted upon his devoting himself tosome of his sisters' friends. 

But, at the same time, Ruth was somewhat piqued because Tom Cameron didnot come near her all the first part of the evening. She could notunderstand what the matter really was with him--why he acted in so offisha manner. 

After that sixth dance (and Ruth had danced them all with one partner oranother) she sent Chess away from her definitely. She went in search ofTom. The orchestra began playing for the next dance. Ruth looked keenlyabout the brilliant assembly. She knew Tom's costume--it was distinctiveand could not be mistaken. But she could not mark it at all in thethrong. 

Two or three men asked her to dance, but she pleaded fatigue andcontinued to walk about the edge of the ballroom. Finally, in an alcove, sitting at an empty table, and with no companion, she spied the recreantTom. 

"Why, Tom!" she cried cheerfully, "are you sitting out this dance too?And the music is so pretty. "

"The music is all right, " he agreed. 

"Don't you want to dance?"

"No. I do not want to dance, " he answered sourly. 

"Not--not even with me, Tom?" she ventured, smiling rather wistfully athis averted face. 

"With nobody. I am waiting for Helen and the rest of you to get enough ofthis foolishness and go home. "

"Why, Tom! You--you are not ill?" she ventured, putting out a hand totouch his shoulder yet not touching it. 

"Not at all, Ruth, " he said, and now he glanced up at her. His look wascold. "Not at all. "

"You are not yourself, " she said, more composedly. "What are you thinkingof?"

"I am thinking, " said Tom, looking away again and with the samemoodiness, "that I was a fool to leave the army. That was my job. Ishould have stuck to it. I should have used my commission and father'sinfluence to stay in the army. But it's too late now. I guess I had mychance and didn't know enough to use it. "

He arose abruptly, bowed stiffly, and walked away. If Tom had actuallyslapped her, Ruth could have felt no more hurt. 

CHAPTER XIII

THE KINGDOM OF PIPES

Ruth Fielding at first felt only hurt; then she felt angry. She was nolonger the timid, sensitive girl who had faced Jabez Miller when shefirst came to the Red Mill with a tremulous smile, to be sure, but tearsstanding thick in her eyes. No, indeed!

The present Ruth Fielding, a young woman of purpose and experience, notonly could hide her feelings--especially if they were hurt ones--butpossessed a saving sense of humor. And to her mind, just a moment later, Tom Cameron's very military looking shoulders and stride seemed ratherfunny. 

He had hurt her; but then, he had hurt her as a boy might. It was true, perhaps, Tom was not grown up. Ruth considered that she was--very muchso!

There he was, daring to complain because his army career had ended sosuddenly--wishing that he had remained in uniform. And how would hisfather and his sister have felt if he had done so!

"He's a great, big booby!" Ruth whispered to herself. Then her smile cameback--that wistful, caressing smile--and she shook her head. "But he'sTom, and he always will be. Dear me! isn't he ever going to grow up?"

So she hid her hurt and accepted the first partner thereafter whooffered; but it was not Chess. Secretly she knew what the matter with Tomwas. And she was too proud to let the ex-captain see that she cared. Nevertheless she was sorry that the party from down the river broke up asthey did when the time to go home came. 

She found herself in the Copley's launch again, with Chess' sisters andthe members of the house party the Copleys were entertaining at theirisland. This dividing of the clans made it possible for Chess afterletting the others out at the Copley dock, to take Ruth to the movingpicture island alone. 

It was a lovely, soft, moonlight night. The haze over the islands and thepassages between could not be called a fog, but it was almost asshrouding as a fog. When Chess ran the launch outside into the mainstream, where the current was broad and swift, the haze lay upon therippling surface like a blanket. 

They were going very swiftly here, for it was with the current. SuddenlyChess shut off the engine. The "plop" of the exhaust ceased. They driftedsilently on the bosom of the St. Lawrence. 

"I don't see why I am treated so, Ruth, " Chess suddenly burst out. "Doyou know, I'm awfully unhappy?"

"You poor boy!" said Ruth in her warm-hearted way. "I think you areover-sensitive. "

"Of course I am sensitive. I shall always be when I am--am--interested inany person and their treatment of me. It is congenital. "

"Dear, dear!" laughed Ruth. "They have discovered that even incipientcongenital idiocy can be cured by the removal of the adenoids. But Idon't suppose such an operation will help you?"

"Oh, don't tease a fellow, " complained her friend. 

He reached for the throttle, then hesitated. Somewhere in the mist aheadwas the throb of another engine. 

"Who's this?" muttered Chess. 

"Maybe it is Tom--looking for us, " said Ruth, chuckling. 

"The gall of him, " exclaimed the heated Copley. Then he made a gesturefor silence. A long, quavering "co-ee! co-ee!" came through the mist andfrom the south. 

"From one of the islands, " said Chess quickly. 

"What island is that over there?" demanded Ruth, in a whisper. "Isn't itthe one we took the first picture on?"

"It sure is, " agreed the young fellow, but wonderingly. 

"The Kingdom of Pipes, " murmured Ruth. 

"What's that?" asked Chessleigh. 

Ruth repeated Helen's name for the rocky island on which Ruth had met thequeer old man. "That call came from the island, didn't it?" she asked. 

"I believe it did. What's going on here?"

"Hush!" begged Ruth. "That launch is coming nearer. "

As she spoke, a moving object appeared in the mist. There was no lightupon this strange craft. Chessleigh shuttered his own cockpit lampinstantly. 

"Good boy, " acclaimed Ruth. "There is something going on here----"

They heard the call from the island again. There was a low reply from thestrange launch--a whistle. Then the launch pushed on and was hidden bythe mist again from the curious eyes of Ruth and her companion. 

But they knew it had gone close to the island, if it had not reallytouched there. Its engine was stilled. All they heard for a time was thelapping of the waves. 

"I'd like to know what it means, " grumbled Chess. 

Ruth agreed. "Let's wait a while. We may hear or see something more. "

"Won't see much, I guess, " replied her companion. 

"Never mind. Let the boat drift. We're all right out here in the current, are we not?"

"Guess so. It beats my time, " said her friend. "They say there is a lotof smuggling done along the border. "

"Do you say so?" gasped Ruth, clasping her hands and almost as excited asHelen might have been. "Smugglers! Think of it!"

"And bad eggs they are. "

"Of course there is no danger?"

"Danger of what?" he asked. 

"Wouldn't the smugglers hurt us if we caught them?"

"Don't know. I've got a loaded pistol in the cabin. Guess I'll get itout, " said Chess. 

"I guess you won't!" Ruth exclaimed. "We'll go right away from herebefore we get into a fight!"

"Humph!" grunted Chess. "You don't suppose they would welcome any spiesif they are smugglers, do you?" he asked. 

"But what do they smuggle? Diamonds? Precious stones?"

"Don't know. Maybe. There is a heavy internal revenue tax on diamonds, "Chess said. 

"Goodness! wouldn't Helen like to be here. "

"She'd want to go ashore and take a hand in it, " grinned Copley. "I knowher. "

"Yes, Helen is brave, " admitted Ruth. 

"Humph! She's foolish, you mean, " he declared. "Whatever and whoeverthose fellows are, they would not welcome visitors I fancy. "

Their launch had been drifting by the island, the upper ridge and treesof which they could see quite plainly. Suddenly a breath of wind--theforecast of the breeze that often rises toward daybreak--swooped downupon the river. It split the mist and revealed quite clearly the upperend of the island where Ruth had interviewed the queer old man, and whichCopley's launch had now drifted past. 

A light showed suddenly, and for a few moments, close to the water'sedge. It revealed enough for the two in the drifting launch to seeseveral figures outlined in the misty illumination of the light. 

There was the bow of the mysterious boat close against the landing place. At least three men were in the boat and on the shore. Ruth could not besure that either of them was the old man she had spoken with. 

But she and Chess Copley saw that they were unloading something from theboat--square, seemingly heavy boxes, yet not so heavy that they could notbe passed from hand to hand. One was about all the weight a man mighteasily lift. 

"What do you suppose those boxes are?" whispered Ruth, as the Copleylaunch drifted into the mist again and the end of the island and theother boat were blotted out of sight. 

"Give it up. Provisions--supplies. Maybe they are going to camp there. Lots of people camp out on these smaller islands. "

"The King of the Pipes will have something to say about that, " laughedRuth. "One thing sure about it, " she added the next moment, as Chessstarted his engine again. "Those boxes don't contain diamonds. "

"I should say not!"

"So if we saw smugglers they are smuggling something besides preciousstones, " said the girl gaily. "Won't Helen be interested when I tellher!"

CHAPTER XIV

A DEMAND IS MADE

Helen had gone to bed when Ruth went into their bedroom that morning, andeither she was asleep or did not want to speak to her chum. Ruth feltthat, after what had gone on at the ball at Alexandria Bay, she hadbetter not wake Helen up to tell her about the strange launch that hadlanded at the Kingdom of the Pipes. 

And in the morning the attitude of both Helen and Tom closed Ruth's lipson all subjects. The twins were plainly offended. Why? Because Ruth hadshown ordinary interest in other people besides themselves!

At least, that is how Ruth saw it. She thought it very silly for Helen tobe jealous. Tom's jealousy was another matter; but he had brought thesituation on himself. 

For once Ruth was determined not to give in, as she so often did whenHelen showed spleen. Fortunately, Ruth was busy with her picture work, soshe had good reason to excuse herself from much association with theCameron twins during the next two days. 

Then something happened to give them all an entirely different topic ofthought and conversation. That day had been spent in taking close-ups andscenes under the canvas and glass roof of the make-shift studio that hadbeen built at the camp. The great pageant of historical times along theSt. Lawrence was moving swiftly on its way. The scenes of a picture areseldom taken in any sequence at all, but Mr. Hooley had gone so far nowthat the bulk of the scenes had been filmed; and as they had been run offin the little projection room, both Mr. Hammond and Ruth had expressedtheir approval of almost every finished length of celluloid. 

The work was practically over for the day at four o'clock and the actorsin their costumes--especially the Indians, including Wonota and herfather--made a brilliant picture as they wandered about the lawns and inand out of the several bungalows on the island. 

From the direction of Chippewa Bay appeared a chugging motor-launch thatcame directly to the dock. It was not one of the hired launches used bythe picture company, nor were those in the launch men who had anything todo with Mr. Hammond's corporation. 

But when Ruth idly looked into the launch from her seat with Helen andMiss Keith and Mrs. Paisley on the porch of their house, the girl of theRed Mill got up suddenly, uttering an astonished exclamation:

"That horrid man again!"

"Hoity-toity!" exclaimed Mrs. Paisley. "What man deserves such a title asthat, Miss Fielding?"

"That Bilby!" exclaimed Ruth. "I just felt it in my bones--like AuntAlvirah--that that creature would annoy us again. "

"Then you are not disappointed, " said Helen drily. "Is that thefellow--that big gawk in the blue suit?"

"No, no! I don't know him, " said Ruth. "The little fat man tagging afterthe big fellow. "

For two men from the launch had now stepped ashore. In accordance withorders from Mr. Hammond, the visitors were stopped at the head of thedock. Nobody was allowed on the island without invitation or a permit. 

"Let me tell you, " said the man in blue pompously, "that I am a countyofficer. You'd better have a care, young fellow. "

"Say! I don't care if you are the King of the Yaps, " said Willie, theboatman. "I have my orders. This is private property. Stay where youare--right where you are, mind!--till I send for the boss. "

"You send for them two Injuns--that is who our business is with, " put inBilby. "That Totantora and Wonota. I want to see them--not that Hammond. "

Ruth had run to another house to warn those very individuals to get outof the way and to keep out of sight until Bilby's visit was over. She didnot know, of course, who the big man in blue was. 

The latter was inclined to be pompous and commanding, even when Mr. Hammond came down to the head of the dock to see him. It was evident thatBilby's money felt warm in the deputy sheriff's pocket, and he wasdetermined to give the little fat man full weight for his cash. 

"This here business is something that can be settled without any row, Mr. Hammond--if that's your name, " said the officer, puffingly. 

"It is my name, all right, " returned the president of the AlectrionCorporation. "And I don't expect any row. What do you want--and thatfellow behind you?"

Horatio Bilby grinned rather sheepishly. "Well, you know, Mr. Hammond, all's fair in love and war. "

"This is certainly not love, " said the moving picture man. "Now, what doyou both want?"

"You are ordered to bring two people into court, " said the deputysheriff, "and show cause why they shouldn't be handed over to Mr. Bilbypending certain proceedings to break their contract with you. "

"Blunt enough, " admitted Mr. Hammond, but without excitement. "Let's see:You have a paper of some kind, I suppose, to serve on me?"

"I've a summons for you, " said the officer, drawing forth some papers, "and I propose to take the two Indians back to the Bay with me. "

"You can serve me, and I will arrange for my representative to appear forme in your court, " said Hammond. "But Totantora, to whom I suppose yourefer, is a citizen of the United States, and you will have to find himto serve him. "

"He's nothing but an Injun!" squealed Bilby, in wrath. 

"Being an Osage Indian, and owning properly surveyed oil lands inOklahoma, the Government has acknowledged his citizenship, " was the quietreply. "He certainly is a good American and will doubtless answer to anycourt demand--if you can serve him legally. "

"You got him hid away somewhere?" demanded the deputy sheriff. 

"And the girl, too!" cried Bilby. "I want the girl more than I do thecrazy old Indian. "

"You'll think he's crazy if he ever sets eyes on you again, Mr. Bilby, "was Mr. Hammond's warning. "He hasn't forgotten you. "

Bilby drew back--and he looked frightened, too. "I--I don't want himright now, " he muttered. 

Hammond accepted the summons of the local court, glanced at it, and putit in his pocket. 

"I see I have five days' grace, " he remarked. "All right. I will see thatproper representation is made before the court. "

"But we want them Indians, " said the deputy. 

"This island is private property. I have hired its use for a certainterm. I will allow you on it only under proper legal motion. Have you asearch warrant?" Hammond asked the deputy. 

"I ain't got a warrant. I don't need a warrant for a couple of Indians. They ain't got any standing in this community. I know Indians all right. You give 'em over. "

"I do not even acknowledge that the two individuals you demand are undermy control. At least, I know very well that no United States court cantouch the young woman, Wonota, except through her guardian. That guardianis her father. I don't see him here--do you?"

"You'd better produce him, " threatened the deputy. 

"You can't make me. Go back and get proper authority--if you can, "advised Mr. Hammond. "And don't come here again--either of you--withoutproper authority. Willie!"

"On the job, " said the boatman, grinning. 

"Don't let these fellows upon the island again--not even on the dock. Notunless they are armed with a proper warrant. "

He turned his back on the visitors and started toward the nearestbungalow. 

"You'll be sorry for this, Hammond!" shouted Horatio Bilby. "I'll get youyet, and don't you forget it. "

"To get me, as you call it, you will have to have both right and might onyour side, Bilby. And just now you do not seem to have either, " was theParthian shot the president of the Alectrion Corporation sent over hisshoulder. 

Willie hustled the deputy and the fat man back into their launch. 

"Go on away from here, " advised Willie. "I know you, Tom Satchett--knownyou all my life. All you are fit for is to jump a few fishermen and gamehunters that break the law. This job is too big for you. You're upagainst money and influence, both, this time. "

"I won't forget you, Willie, " growled the deputy. "You'll want somethingof me some time----"

"I want something of you right now, " put in the boatman. "A good reasonfor punching you. Go on into your boat before I find it. "

So the pair retreated. But Ruth came to Mr. Hammond in some littledisturbance. 

"What shall we do?" she demanded. "Suppose they take Wonota away beforethe picture is finished?"

"They won't. At least, I don't believe the court will allow it. I willtelegraph to a good lawyer and have him come up here and watchproceedings. "

"But, if it should happen, we would be in a bad fix, Mr. Hammond. Mr. Hooley says nobody could double for Wonota. "

"Let's not cross bridges until we come to them, " returned her friend. 

But perhaps Mr. Hammond felt less confidence than he managed to get intohis voice and appearance at that moment. 

CHAPTER XV

THE YELLOW LADY

There could be no further haste about the making of the picture, "TheLong Lane's Turning. " Although most of the big scenes were already shot, those that remained to do held in them the more poignant action of thepiece and must be rehearsed over and over again. 

Much time is sometimes spent upon a single scene--a few feet of a reel. Infinite patience, repetition and experimenting go into the making of apictured story. Infinite detail and a close attention to that detail makethe successful picture. 

To stage a "big" scene may seem to be a marvelous feat of the director. But in a big scene, with a large number of actors, the latter are dividedinto groups, each group has its captain, and each individual actor has tofollow the lead of his particular captain. The groups are trained andperfected in every little motion before they come into the real scenebefore the camera. 

Thus the allegorical picture that was a prologue to "The Long Lane'sTurning" had been gone over and rehearsed again and again by theprincipal actors in it, even before the company left New York City. 

Now, with all these "big" scenes filmed, the more difficult work ofmaking the individual scenes of action came to the fore. Wonota had to becoached over and over again in her scenes with Mr. Grand and Miss Keith. Both the latter were well-practised screen actors and could register theordinary gamut of emotions as easily as they ate their breakfast orpowdered their noses. 

With Wonota, however, it was different. In the first place, she came of atribe of people in whom it was bred to smother all expression ofemotion--even the most poignant. Wonota almost worshiped her father; butdid she ever look upon Chief Totantora with a smile of pride or withaffection beaming in her eyes?

"Not so you'd notice it, " said Helen, on one occasion. "Ordinarily, asfar as her looks go, Totantora might be a stranger to her. "

"Is there any wonder, then, " sighed Ruth, "that we find it so hard tomake her register affection for Mr. Grand? And she already should havelearned to do that in that first picture we took out West. "

"Maybe that's the reason, " said Helen wickedly. "If she did not know Mr. Grand's foibles so well, she might the better show interest in him. Goodness knows he's handsome enough. "

"Better than that, he can act, " said Ruth thoughtfully. "Not many ofthese handsome screen heroes can do that. But perhaps if Wonota did notdisdain him so much (and she does, secretly) she could play up to himbetter. "

"Is there much more for her to do?" Helen asked, with renewed interest. 

"Several scenes--and some of them most important. Mr. Hooley can not giveall his time to her. I am trying to coach her in them. But there is somuch going on here at the island----"

"Why not take her away to some other place and just pound it into her?"

"Not to the Kingdom of Pipes!" laughed Ruth suddenly. 

"No. Let the old pirate have that place to his heart's content. But thereare other islands. "

"True enough. Fourteen hundred of them. "

"Come on!" exclaimed the energetic Helen. "Let's get Willie and the _Gem_and go somewhere with Wonota. You've all day to hammer at her. Get yourcontinuity and try to get it into Wonota's head that she is deeply anddesperately in love with Grand. "

In spite of Helen's brusk way of speaking, Ruth decided that her ideamight be well worth following. Helen took some knitting and aparasol--and a hamper. Ruth gathered her necessary books and script; andlikewise got Wonota. Then they boarded the launch and Willie took them upthe river to a tiny islet not far from the Kingdom of Pipes, after all. 

"I don't see anybody moving over there, " Helen remarked, as Willie landedthem at the islet selected. She was looking at the island on which Ruthhad had her adventure with the King of the Pipes. "It looks desertedenough. We might have gone there just as well as not. "

"I feel as well satisfied to keep away from that queer old fellow, " herchum said. 

"Who's that?" asked Willie, the boatman, overhearing their remarks. 

Ruth told him about the strange man, and Willie laughed. 

"Oh! That old jigger? Was he the fellow the boss wanted we should shoooff that island? Why didn't he say so? Old Charley-Horse Pond. We allknow him about here. "

"Oh!" cried Helen. "Is he crazy?"

"Not enough to make any difference. Just got a twist in his brain. Callshimself a king, does he? Mebbe he will be a duke or an emperor next time. Or a doctor. Can't tell. He gets fancies. "

"And of course he is not dangerous?" said Ruth. 

"Just about as dangerous as a fly, " drawled Willie. "And not so much. Forflies bite--sometimes, and old Charley-Horse Pond ain't even got teeth tobite with. No, Ma'am!"

"But what are the 'pipes' he talks about? Why 'King of the Pipes'?"demanded the insistent Helen. 

"Got me. Never heard of 'em, " declared Willie. "Now, you ladies all righthere?"

"All right, Willie, " said Ruth as the _Gem_ was backed off the island. 

"I'll come for you at half past three, eh? That's all right, then, " andthe boatman was off. 

The three girls, really glad to be away from the crowd and the confusionof the moving picture camp, settled down to several hours ofcompanionship. Helen could be silent if she pleased, and with herknitting and a novel proceeded to curl up under a tamarack tree and buryherself for the time being. 

Helen had not, however, forgotten the "inner woman, " as she pronouncedit. When lunch time came she opened the covered basket which she hadbrought in addition to the book and the knitting, and produced sandwichesand cake, besides the wherewithal for the making of a cup of tea over acan of solidified alcohol. They lunched famously. 

It was while they were thus engaged, and chatting, that the staccatoexhaust of a motor-boat drew their attention to the Island of Pipes. Fromthe other side, a boat was poking around into the passage leading to theAmerican shore. 

"My goodness!" exclaimed Helen, "the King of the Pipes isn't in thatboat, is he?"

"Not at all, " Ruth assured her. "I see nobody who looks like him amongthose men--"

"All are not men, Miss Ruth, " interrupted Wonota, the keen-eyed. 

"What do you mean, Wonota?" gasped Helen, whirling around to gaze againat the passing launch. 

But Ruth did not say a word. She had been examining the boat closely. Shesaw it was the very speedy boat she and Chess Copley had seen out on thewider part of the river several weeks before. The launch was not movingrapidly now, but Ruth was sure that it was a powerful craft. 

It was Helen who marked the figure Wonota had spoken of in the boat. Itcertainly did not appear to be a man. 

"Why Ruth! See! That is a woman!"

"A yellow-faced lady, " said Wonota calmly. "I saw her first, Miss Ruth. "

All three of the girls on the island stared after the moving motor-boat. Ruth saw the woman. She was dressed plainly but in modern garments. Shedid not seem to be one of the summer visitors to the islands. Indeed, herclothing--such as could be seen--pointed to city breeding, but nothingwas chosen, it would seem, for wear in such a place as this. She mighthave been on a ferryboat going from shore to shore of the Hudson!

"She _is_ a yellow lady, " Wonota repeated earnestly. 

"I should say she was!" exclaimed Helen. "What do you think of her, Ruth?"

"I am sure I do not know what to say, " the girl of the Red Mill answered. "Does she look like a white woman to you, Helen?"

"She is yellow, " reiterated Wonota. 

"She certainly is not an Indian, " observed Helen. "What say, Ruth?"

"She surely is not, " agreed her chum. 

"A yellow lady, " murmured Wonota again, as the boat drew behind anotherisland and there remained out of sight. 

CHAPTER XVI

MAROONED

"I wonder if the boat did come from that island over yonder?" Ruthmurmured, after a few moments of thought. 

"For goodness' sake! what are you worrying about?" asked Helen Cameron. 

"I'm not worrying at all, " Ruth returned, smiling. "But I am curious. "

"About that yellow lady?"

"About what happens on that island the queer old man lives on. "

"You don't know that he really lives there, " was the prompt rejoinder. 

"That is so. He may not be there now. But--"

"But me no buts, unless you mean to go on, " said Helen, as Ruth hesitatedagain. 

"It does seem queer, " said Ruth thoughtfully. "Other people go therebesides the King of the Pipes. "

"Indeed! We all went there when that allegory was staged. "

"And since then, " said Ruth, and proceeded to tell the two girls what sheand Chess Copley had seen early one morning. 

"Men landing boxes on the island?" cried Helen, while Wonota merelylooked puzzled. "There is a camp there, like enough. And those men--andthe woman--in the launch might have come from there, of course. WhenWillie comes back for us, let's sail around the island and see if we canspy where their tent is set up. For of course there is no house there?"

"Tom and I found no habitation when we went to search for the old man, "admitted Ruth. 

"All right. It must be a tent, then, " said her chum with conviction. "We'll see. "

But as it turned out, they made no such search that day. Indeed, Willieand the _Gem_ did not return for them. The camp launch was not the firstcraft that appeared. Ruth was again coaching Wonota after lunch whenHelen spied something on the water that caused her to cry out, drawingthe other girls' attention. 

"Who under the sun is this coming in the canoe?" Helen demanded. "Why! heis making it fairly fly. I never!"

Wonota scarcely glanced in the direction of the distant moving picturecamp, and she said composedly:

"It is Chief Totantora. He comes for me. "

The Indian in the canoe caused the craft to tear through the water. Nosuch paddling had the two white girls ever seen before. Not a motion waslost on the part of Chief Totantora. Every stroke of his paddle drove thecraft on with a speed to make anybody marvel. 

"Something has happened!" gasped Ruth, standing up. 

"He comes for me, " repeated Wonota, still calmly. 

"What for?" queried Helen, quite as much disturbed now as her chum. 

Before the Indian girl could have answered--had she intended toexplain--the canoe came close in to the bank of the island, was swerveddexterously, and Totantora leaped ashore--a feat not at all easy toperform without overturning the canoe. It scarcely rocked. 

He stooped and held it from scraping against the rock, and shot up at hisdaughter several brief sentences in their own tongue. He paid noattention to Ruth, even, although she stepped forward and asked what hiserrand was. 

"I must go, Miss Ruth, " said Wonota quickly. "Mr. Hammond has sent him. It was arranged before. "

"What was arranged?" demanded Ruth, with some sharpness. 

"We are going yonder, " she pointed to the hazy shore of Grenadier Islandthat was in view from where they stood. "It is said by Mr. Hammond thatyonder the man with the little green eyes--the fat man--cannot have ustaken. "

"For goodness' sake!" gasped Helen, "she's talking of that Bilby, isn'tshe?"

"What does it mean? Has Bilby come again?" cried Ruth, speaking directlyto Totantora. 

"We go, " said the chief. "Hammond, he say so. Now. They come for me andfor Wonota with talking papers from the white man's court. "

"Then Mr. Hammond's lawyer could not do all Mr. Hammond expected, " sighedRuth. "The picture will be ruined. "

"I never heard of such a thing, " cried Helen angrily. "I'd like to knowwhat sort of courts and judges they have up here in these woods?"

But Ruth wanted to know more. She held Wonota back as she would havestepped into the canoe. 

"Wait, " she urged. "Tell me more, Totantora. Where are you takingWonota?"

It was the Indian girl who answered. 

"Over on that shore, " said she, pointing again to the Canadian island, "these courts cannot touch us. Mr. Hammond told my father so. We go thereto wait until the trouble is over. Mr. Hammond spoke of it before. Totantora is informed. "

"But it means delay and expense, " cried Ruth. 

"How mean!" exploded Helen. "I'd like to do something to that Bilby. "

"Have you money--plenty of money?" Ruth demanded of the Indian. 

"I have money, " said Wonota, touching the bosom of her blouse. "We do notneed much. We shall live quietly there until Mr. Hammond sends for us. Wewill be faithful to you, Miss Ruth. "

She turned, with more impulsiveness than she usually showed, and kissedthe white girl's cheek. 

"You are so good to me!" she cried. "I will not forget all you havetaught me. And I will rehearse every day so to be perfect when Mr. Hooleywants me again. "

There was no way to stop her. Indeed, as Mr. Hammond had advised thissudden move, Ruth knew she had no right to interfere. It was evident thatan emergency had arisen of which she, herself, knew nothing. In some waythe enemy had forced Mr. Hammond's hand. Totantora and his daughter werein danger of being brought into court after all, and Mr. Hammond did notwish that to come about. 

The Indian girl stepped lightly into the canoe and picked up the extrapaddle. Her father leaped in after her, pushed the light craft away fromthe rock, and seized his own paddle. In another moment the canoe shotaway from the island and off toward the broad expanse of the open St. Lawrence. 

Helen and Ruth stared after them--then at each other. Naturally it wasHelen who first regained her voice and gave expression to her amazement. 

"What do you know about that?" she demanded. 

"I--I don't know what to say, " murmured Ruth. 

"Oh! I know what to say, all right, " said the disgusted Helen. "It's nojoke. "

Ruth herself admitted it was nothing to laugh about. She saw difficultiesin the way of the completion of "The Long Lane's Turning" of which Helenknew but little--or of which she did not think. 

Ruth knew that there were scenes--some of them she had been studying withWonota this day--that could not be changed nor eliminated. Wonota must bein them. No "double" could be used. 

In the first place, the Indian girl's personality was distinct. It couldnot easily be matched. 

Ruth knew that, even at that time, one of the most popular screenactresses, because of her inability longer to look the child, was using adouble for all her "close-ups" when she was forced to play those childishparts that a hungry public of "movie fans" demanded. 

Nothing like this would save "The Long Lane's Turning. " The throne roomscene in Paris, which was yet to be photographed, was too delicate amatter to put in the hands of any double. Wonota was herself--even inthis picture she was a distinct personality--and she must be shown to thevery end of the last reel and the last "fade-out. "

The thoughts caused Ruth to feel very, very sober. Helen looked at herwith some appreciation of her chum's despair; yet she could notappreciate the situation in full. 

Suddenly the lighter-minded Helen leaped to her feet from the bank onwhich she was sitting, and exclaimed:

"My goodness, Ruth! do you realize that we are marooned?"

"Marooned?" was the wondering rejoiner. 

"Yes. Just as though we had been put ashore here by a crew of mutineersand deserted--a pair of Robinson Crusoesses!"

"Your English--"

"Bother my English!"

"It would surely bother Mrs. Tellingham--if she could hear it, poordear. "

"Now, don't sidetrack me, " remarked Helen. "Don't you see we are castaway on this desert isle with no means of getting back to the camp unlesswe swim?"

"Willie will be after us. "

"But, will 'e?" asked the roguish Helen, punning on the boatman's name. 

"Do be sensible--"

"Even good sense will not rescue us, " interrupted Helen. "I'd like to getback to camp and hear all the exciting details. Totantora certainly cansay less in a few moments than any person I ever saw. And Wonota is notmuch better. "

"It does not matter how much they said or how little. The fat is all inthe fire, I guess, " groaned Ruth. 

"Chirk up! Something is sure to turn up, I suppose. We won't be left hereto starve, " and Helen's eyes flashed her fun. 

"Oh, _you_!" began Ruth, half laughing too. Then she stopped and held upher hand. "What's that?" she whispered. 

The sound was repeated. A long-drawn "co-ee! co-ee!" which drained awayinto the depths of the forest-covered islands all about them. They werenot where they could see a single isle known to be inhabited. 

"Who is calling us?" demanded Helen. 

"Hush!" commanded Ruth. "That is not for us. I have heard it before. Itcomes from the King of the Pipes' island--to be sure it does. "

"He's calling for help!" gasped Helen. 

"He is doing nothing of the kind. It is a signal. " Ruth told Helenswiftly more of that early morning incident she and Chess Copley hadobserved when they saw the boxes carried ashore from the motor-boat. 

"Seems to me, " grumbled Helen, "you have a lot of adventures with 'LassesCopley, Ruth. "

"Your own fault that you don't, " returned her chum promptly. "You couldhave been along. But you don't like Mr. Copley. "

"What has that to do with it?" rejoined Helen smartly. "I would goadventuring with any boy--even 'Lasses. "

"Don't call him that, " commanded Ruth. 

"Pooh! He likes it. Or he used to. "

"He is a nice fellow, " Ruth declared, with more earnestness than therereally seemed to be necessity for. 

"I--de-clare!" murmured Helen. "Really! Does the wind sit in thatquarter?"

CHAPTER XVII

A DETERMINATION

However the wind might sit and whatever may have been her secret opinionof Ruth Fielding's interest in Chessleigh Copley, Helen suddenly becamemute regarding that young man. 

But, after a moment, she was not at all mute upon the subject of the Kingof the Pipes and what might be going on on the island where they believedthe queer old man had his headquarters. 

"If it should be smugglers over there--only fancy!" sighed Helenecstatically. "Diamonds and silks and lots of precious things! My, oh, my!"

"Better than pirates?" laughed Ruth. 

"Consider!" cried her chum boldly. "I said that island looked like apirate's den from the start. "

"Your fore-sight-hind-sight is wonderful, " declared Ruth, shaking herhead and making big eyes at her friend. 

"Don't laugh--Oh! What's that?"

From over the water, and unmistakably from the rocky island on the summitof which the blasted beech stood--a prominent landmark--came the strangecry, "co-ee! co-ee!" which they had heard before. 

"Do you suppose that poor old man is calling for help?" hesitated Ruth. 

"Your grandmother's aunt!" ejaculated Helen, in disgust. 

"We-ell that is even a more roundabout relationship than that betweenAunt Alvirah Boggs and me. Poor old soul, she is nobody's relation, asshe often says, but everybody's aunt. "

"There goes the signal again, and here comes that boat!" exclaimed Helensuddenly. 

"What boat?" demanded Ruth, looking in the direction of the distantCanadian island, toward which the canoe, with Totantora and Wonota in it, had now disappeared. 

"Turn around--do!" exclaimed Helen. "This way. That is the same boat wesaw going by some time ago. The boat with the yellow lady in it, asWonota called her. "

"This is very strange, " murmured Ruth. 

"But the yellow lady is not with those men now, " said Helen. 

"I do not see any woman aboard, " admitted her friend. 

The boat--going not so fast now--crossed their line of vision and finallyrounded the end of the island on which the two chums believed the queerold man resided. At least, somebody had uttered the strange, shrill cryfrom that very spot. 

"Oh, dear! If we were not marooned here!" grumbled Helen. 

"What would you do?"

"If we had a boat--even a canoe--we could follow that motor-launch andsee if those pirates make a landing. "

"Pirates!" repeated Ruth. 

"Smugglers, then. Your own Chess Copley says they may be smugglers, youknow. "

"I wish you would not speak in that way, Helen, " objected Ruth. "He isnot my Chess Copley----or anything else. "

"Well, he certainly isn't mine, " retorted Helen, with more gaiety. "Ican't say I approve of him--and I long since told you why. "

"I believe you are unfair, Helen, " said Ruth seriously. 

"Dear me! if you don't care anything about him, why are you so anxious tohave me change my opinion of 'Lasses?"

"For your own sake, " said her friend shortly. 

"I wonder! For _my_ sake?"

"Yes. Because you are not naturally unfair--and Chess feels it. "

"Oh, he does, does he?" snapped Helen. "I hope he does. Let him feel!"

This heartless observation closed Ruth's lips on the subject. The twogirls watched the other island. They did not see the boat again. Nor didthey see anybody on the island or hear any other cry from there. 

They both began to grow anxious. No boat appeared from the direction ofthe camp, and it was past the hour now when Willie was to have called forthem with the _Gem_. Why didn't he come?

"Of course, Mr. Hammond doesn't expect us to swim home, " complainedHelen. 

"Something must have occurred. Totantora's being sent off so suddenlyreally worries me. Perhaps Mr. Hammond himself was obliged to leave thecamp and perhaps he went in the _Gem_, and Willie cannot return for usuntil later. "

"But where is Tom? Surely he must know all about this sudden trouble. "

"What was Tom going to do to-day?" asked Ruth quietly. 

"Oh, that's so! I had forgotten, " said Tom's sister, in despair. "He wasgoing around to Oak Point with some of the men. That's down the river, beyond Chippewa Point, and they could scarcely get back in the othermotor-boat before dark. "

"That's the answer, I guess, " sighed Ruth. 

"Then we are marooned!" ejaculated Helen. "I do think it is too mean--andmy goodness! we ate every crumb of lunch. "

"The two 'Robinson Crusoesses, ' then, may have to go on short rations, "but Ruth said it with a smile. "I guess we are not in any real danger ofstarvation, however. "

"Just the same, a joke can easily become serious when one is deserted ona desert island. "

"But you were looking for adventure, " retorted Ruth. 

"Well!"

"Now you have it, " said Ruth, but soberly. "And worrying about it willnot help us a particle. Might as well be cheerful. "

"You are as full of old saws as a carpenter's abandoned tool-chest, " saidHelen smartly. "Oh! What is this I hear? The smuggler's boat again?"

They did hear a motor, but no boat appeared from the other side of theKingdom of Pipes. The sound drew nearer. The motor-boat was coming downthe river, through a passage between the island where the girls were andthe American side. 

"Come on! I don't care who it is, " cried Helen, starting to run throughthe bushes. "We'll hail them and ask them for rescue. "

But when she came in sight of the craft, to Ruth's surprise Helen did notat once shout. Ruth only saw the bow of the boat coming down streamherself; but suddenly she marked the small name-board with its giltlettering:

 LAURIETTE

"Here's Chess, I do believe!" she cried. 

"Humph!" grumbled Helen. 

"Now, Helen Cameron!" gasped Ruth, "are you going to be foolish enough torefuse to be taken off this island by Chessleigh Copley?"

"Didn't say I was. "

"And don't be unkind to him!" pleaded Ruth. 

"You seem so terribly fond of him that I guess he won't mind how I treathim. "

"You know better, " Ruth told her admonishingly. "Chess thinks a greatdeal of you, while you treat him too unkindly for utterance. "

"He'd better not think of me too much, " said Helen scornfully. "His headwon't stand it. Tom says 'Lasses never was strong in the deeper strata ofcollege learning. "

Ruth was not to be drawn into any controversy. She called to the youngman when, dressed in flannels and standing at his wheel and engine, hecame into view. 

"Hurrah! Here's good luck!" shouted Chess, swerving the bow of the_Lauriette_ in toward the island instantly. 

"Hurrah! Glad you think it's good luck, " said Helen sulkily. "I guess younever were marooned. "

"That's navy blue you've got on--not maroon, " said Chess soberly. "Do yousuppose I am color-blind?"

"Smarty!"

"Now, children, this is too serious a matter to quarrel over, " admonishedRuth, but smiling because her chum showed, after all, interest enough inthe young man to be "scrappy. " "What do you suppose we have seen, Chess?"

"I'd like to know first of all how you came here without a boat?"

"My goodness, yes!" gasped Helen. "I'd almost forgotten about Wonota andTotantora. "

Ruth shook her head. "I am not likely to forget that, " she said. 

She explained to the young man as they got into the launch and he pushedout from the shore about the difficulty that had arisen over the Indians. He was naturally deeply interested in Ruth's trouble and in the fate ofthe Indians. But on top of that Helen eagerly told about the speedylaunch, the yellow lady, and their suspicions regarding what was going onat the island that they had nicknamed the Kingdom of Pipes. 

"I tell you what, " Chess said, quite as eagerly as Helen, "I was comingover to take you all for a sail on the river to-night. Let's get Tom andjust us four keep watch on that island. I believe there is somethinggoing on there that ought to be looked into. "

"I--I don't know that it is our business to look into it, " suggestedRuth, doubtfully. 

But for once Helen agreed with Chess, and against Ruth's better judgmentit was determined to come back to this locality after dinner and lurkabout the mysterious island in the Copley launch. 

CHAPTER XVIII

BILBY'S TRUMP CARD

Naturally, Ruth went in search of Mr. Hammond the moment she landed onthe island where the moving picture company was established. But, as shesaw that the _Gem_ was not at the dock, she scarcely expected to find thepresident of the company at hand--and in that expectation she was notmistaken. 

Mr. Hooley, the director, however, told her what he knew about theoccurrence that had started Totantora so madly from the island in thecanoe. Bilby and whoever it was that backed him in his enterprise wereevidently determined to obtain the services of Wonota, the Osageprincess, if it could be brought about. 

"Looks to me, " said the director, "as though we were going to have sometrouble finishing this picture, Miss Fielding. "

"We can't finish it without Wonota!" cried the girl. 

"You don't think you could rewrite the remaining scenes so that we cankeep on to the conclusion?" he asked thoughtfully. 

"Why, Mr. Hooley! How about the throne-room scene? Wonota must appear inthat. You say yourself that we cannot use anybody in her place. "

"How about cutting out that scene? Finish the play on this side of thewater. Don't go to France at all. "

"Then the picture is spoiled!"

"No picture is spoiled until it goes out of our hands, you know, " and Mr. Hooley smiled satirically. "You know how it is in the picture business, Miss Fielding. Some unfortunate producer buys a script or a story. Thescenario writer 'saves' the story by his work on the script. Then thecontinuity man 'saves' it a second time. Then the director 'saves' itafter he gets it into his hands. We know that the star performer always'saves' it again. And then the film cutter and the title writer each'save' it. 

"Most pictures are 'saved' in this way by the omniscience of all who workon it so that, when it is finally produced, the writer seldom recognizesmore than a glimmer of his original idea in the final product. 

"You are much better treated than most picture writers, you know verywell. And here you have a chance to 'save' your own work, " and Mr. Hooleyfinished with a laugh. 

"It is no laughing matter, " she told him. "I wanted this to be a reallybig picture. And I do not want to cut out Wonota. Without thatthrone-room scene it will fall flat. "

"We should have taken it in New York, " grumbled Mr. Hooley. "I felt it atthe time. But Mr. Hammond contracted for so many weeks' use of thisisland and the time is running out already. "

"And Wonota and Totantora are gone!"

"Exactly. "

"Do you know where they have gone?"

"Haven't the least idea. But Mr. Hammond knows. "

"He went to town?" asked Ruth thoughtfully. 

"He has gone to confer with the lawyers and see if they can get the courtto vacate the injunction issued against our use of Wonota. Bilby and thesheriff came again. They had a warrant this time. It called for theproduction of Wonota. Luckily you had her off the island at the time. They searched every nook and cranny, and meanwhile Totantora got away. They wanted him too. "

"I think that Bilby is too mean for words!"

"Well, I take it that it was his trump card. He must have some powerfulinfluence behind him. But--"

"But what, Mr. Hooley?" asked Ruth eagerly. 

"I can see how we might get over the difficulty if the courts will notlisten to reason. "

"Oh! Do tell me!"

"We can move the whole company over the Canadian border, and before Bilbycan do anything over there we'll have finished 'The Long Lane's Turning. 'That's the only way I see out of the mess. "

"But think of the expense!"

"Sure! I'm thinking of that all the time, " grumbled Hooley. "And don'tyou forget that the boss never allows me to lose sight of it. Yourinterest in this picture is greater than mine, Miss Fielding; but my jobis sort of tangled up in it, too. Mr. Hammond is a good man; but he is agood business man first of all. I am afraid that you will be obliged tomake some changes in the remaining scenes so as to overcome thedifficulty of losing Wonota. "

"I will not do it!" cried the girl, this time in anger. 

"Better read your contract. If you won't do it, somebody else will haveto. You know, we've got a man at the studio who could change Hamlet intoa slap-stick comedy over night, if the emergency arose. "

"I will not agree to have my picture ruined, " said Ruth, almost in tears. 

"That isn't the way to look at it, " Hooley observed more kindly. "Justsee that you save your story yourself instead of letting some otherperson do it for you. That's the answer, I fear. "

Ruth had no appetite for dinner that evening, but she was obliged to meether friends and the actors and actresses who ate at her table with atleast an appearance of cheerfulness. 

It was impressed upon her mind more deeply than ever before, however, that her arrangement with the Alectrion Film Corporation was not whollysatisfactory. She had learned so much now about the making of a screenpicture that often her advice in the directing of the action was acceptedwith admiration by Mr. Hooley. Mr. Hammond was not afraid to go away andleave the two to film the most important scenes in a script. 

And why should she be tied to certain agreements that cramped her?Especially in a case of this kind. For the sake of saving expense Mr. Hammond was likely to insist that the artistic part of "The Long Lane'sTurning" should be sacrificed. 

Ruth felt that on her part she would spend twenty-five thousand dollarsmore (if she had it to spend) in shipping the whole company over theborder and making the remainder of the picture in Canada. 

"I am going to be in a position some time where I shall have the say asto every detail of the picture, " she told herself. "I want to be my ownmanager and my own producer. Otherwise I shall never be happy--nor will Iever be sure of making worth-while pictures. "

For Ruth took this career of hers very seriously indeed. Because she didso, perhaps, the fact that Tom Cameron seemed to consider his work solightly caused Ruth to criticise the young man harshly. That could onlybe expected. 

Tom did not return for dinner. Nor did Mr. Hammond come back toheadquarters. Chess Copley was eager to get the girls out in his_Lauriette_ again. 

"Pooh! it's nothing much, I guess, " said Helen, seemingly having lost herfirst interest in the smugglers and the King of the Pipes. "And, anyway, I shall not go unless Tom is with us. "

"Why, Helen!" cried Ruth, "I thought you were so eager. "

"Well, perhaps. If Tom went. "

"But we promised Chess. "

"You promised him. He wants to do it because you are going. "

"Now, Helen, you know--"

"I know just what I am saying. I have no interest in 'Lasses Copley. Youhave. "

"You are the most exasperating girl!" exclaimed Ruth, in some warmth. 

They were in their room freshening their toilets for the evening. 

"I don't seem to suit you any more than Tom does, " said her chum coolly. 

"I declare, Helen! you go too far. "

"I shan't go too far this time--without Tom. " Helen laughed in aprovoking way. "You can run along with your Chessleigh if you like. Notme!"

"That is just what I will do, " said Ruth quietly, but with flashing eyes. "I would not insult him by refusing--now. I will tell him you have aheadache and cannot come. "

"Do as you like, " was the ungracious reply. "You are crazy about Chess, Iguess. "

"I believe you are jealous, Helen Cameron!" cried Ruth, in wonder. 

"I don't know why I should be, " returned Helen lightly. "I've no interestin Chess Copley. And I haven't had since--"

"Since when, I'd like to know?"

"Since I found him out. So now! That's enough. I am not going. Unless, ofcourse, Tom returns and wants me to go along with you and Chess. "

What more was there to say? Ruth did not wish to disappoint Chessleigh. She felt that Helen Cameron had no reason for treating the young man asshe did. 

So, as she had done before, and without much interest in the eveningsailing party, Ruth left the bungalow to join the waiting Chessleigh atthe dock. 

CHAPTER XIX

SUSPENSE

Tom and his party in the other motor-boat had not appeared, nor had the_Gem_ come back from the town of Chippewa Bay with Mr. Hammond. Whyshould not Ruth and Chessleigh spy about among the islands for a time?

It was not now moonlight; and there was some haze which gave asmouldering effect to the stars peering through it. But these soft, hazynights had their own charm and Ruth had come to love them. 

Especially on the water. Amid the tamarack-clothed islets the motor-boatscrept in and out in a delightful way. To lie on the cushions in thecockpit of the _Lauriette_ and bask in the pearly starlight was anexperience the girl from Cheslow was not likely to forget. 

To-night, when the _Lauriette_ got away from the moving picture camp, there were no other boats in sight. Chess dimmed his lights and the craftcrept through the narrow passages between the islands, heading up stream. 

"My idea, " he said, "is to land at the back of that island--"

"The Kingdom of Pipes?" interrupted Ruth in surprise. 

"Yes. Where you say you landed before--twice. "

"Oh!"

"That is, if we see nothing or nobody about. "

"I don't think we'd better take any great risk--only two of us, " observedRuth, with her usual caution. 

"Of course, we won't walk right into danger. "

"I should hope not! And just what are we going for, anyway?" and shesuddenly laughed. 

"Why, I'm curious about those fellows, " said the young man. "And Ithought you were. "

"I'm curious about the King of the Pipes. Charley-Horse Pond, Williecalls him. "

"Queer old boy, I guess, " admitted Chess. "But I want to know more aboutthose chaps who unloaded the boxes. "

"What could have been in the boxes? Surely there is no camping party onthat island. At least, no pleasure party. "

"I fancy not. If you ask me about the boxes, I am puzzled. Yet, I've aglimmer of an idea--Are you sure that was a woman with them to-day intheir boat?"

"Wonota called her the yellow lady. And Wonota has good eyes. "

"With a yellow face, yes? And we saw a Chinaman in the boat that othertime on the river, " said Chess quickly. 

"Surely she wasn't a Chinese woman? Yet, she might have been. "

"Chinese women aren't usually smuggled over the border, I guess, "muttered the young fellow. "But Chinese men are. "

"Perhaps we should have reported it to the authorities, " Ruth suggested. 

"Not until we are sure there is really something wrong. I don't want tobe laughed at, you know. "

But Ruth just then had considered another phase of the matter. 

"Oh!" she cried. "There's Bilby! He was in it!"

"In what?"

"In that boat when we first saw it. When we saw the Chinaman, you know, out on the Canadian side of the river. If there is anything wrong aboutthese men--and the King of the Pipes--Bilby is mixed up with them. "

"I guess you are right, Ruth. Maybe that fellow is into more queer gamesthan just trying to grab your Osage princess. "

"But more than that, " said Ruth much worried now, "he may have so manyfriends on the Canadian side that he can trace Wonota and her father overthere on Grenadier Island. "

"Better warn Mr. Hammond when he comes back from town, " suggested herfriend. "That Bilby seems to be universally troublesome. I'll say he is!"

They kept quiet after that, for the outline of the rocky island, with theblasted beech visible at its summit, came into view. Nothing stirred uponthe island, nor was there any other boat in sight. 

"Had we better venture ashore?" breathed Ruth, again in doubt. 

"Come on. Let's try it. I've got an electric torch in my pocket. We canfind our way all over the island with that. "

It was true that the girl of the Red Mill felt some trepidation, but shehad confidence in her companion's muscle and courage if not in hiscaution. Besides, she was very curious about the queer old man and thedoings on his island. 

Chess shut off the engine of the _Lauriette_ some distance from theisland; but first he had gone above the rocky landing, so that thesluggish current between the islands drifted the motor-boat back uponthat strand. 

He went forward and, with a line in his hand, leaped ashore the moment hecould do so, and drew the _Lauriette_ in to the rock. Then he passed theline around the very sapling to which Ruth had once fastened the canoe. 

"Come on!" he whispered, offering his hand to the girl. 

She leaped ashore. They were both wearing canvas, rubber-soled, low shoeswhich made no noise on the stones. Chess drew forth the electric torchand tried it, turning the spot of light on the ground at their feet. Itworked perfectly. 

In his right-hand jacket pocket he carried an entirely different article, but he did not mention that fact to Ruth. She would not have gone withhim had she known of the presence of the pistol. The possession offirearms would have, to her mind, at once taken the matter out of therealm of mere adventure into that of peril, and Ruth was not seeking suchan experience. 

She only half believed in the smugglers. She had seen some men in a boatat the island, but she doubted if it meant anything more than a fishingparty. Those boxes taken ashore meant nothing much to her, if they didsuggest some particularly interesting situation to Chess. 

In fact, Copley had not fully taken Ruth into his confidence. He hadreason to suspect that whoever might be on this island were law-breakers, and he really had no right to bring Ruth here. Tom Cameron would not havedone it. 

Copley was serious, however, in his intention of finding out if possiblewho was on the island; and when they had passed up the rough path to theround table-stone, Ruth had got over her little shivery feeling and wasas eager as Chess himself. 

They passed carefully through the fringe of brush and reached the openspace where the blasted beech tree stood. The faint starlight illuminedthe space, so that Chess did not need to use the torch in his left hand. There was no tent set up here nor any other mark of human habitation. 

Ruth knew that there was scarcely any other place on the island where acamp could be established. Had the people they had seen landing from thespeedy launch gone away for good and taken their camp equipment withthem?

Suddenly Copley seized her wrist. His touch was cold and betrayed thefact that he was nervous himself. 

"Listen!" he whispered, his lips close to Ruth's ear. 

Helen would have immediately been "in a fidget, " and said so. But Ruthcould restrain herself pretty well. She nodded so that Copley saw sheheard him and was listening. They waited several moments. 

"There!" breathed the young fellow again. 

"What is it?" Ruth ventured. 

"Somebody talking. Listen!"

There was a human voice near by. It sounded close to them, and yet itsdirection Ruth could not decide upon. There was a hollow, reverberatingquality to the sounds that baffled determination as to their origin. Butit was a human voice without doubt. 

Ruth could not, however, understand a word that was spoken. The toneswere first high, then low, never guttural, and possessed a certainsibilant quality. Whether the words spoken were English or not, waslikewise a mystery. 

Ruth and Chessleigh stood first in one place, then in another, in thatcircle about the big beech tree. The young man had gone all around thetattered trunk and found no opening. If it was hollow, there was no wayof getting into it near the ground, nor was there any ladder by which onemight scale the huge trunk to the top. 

"That's no hide-away, " mouthed Chess, his lips close at Ruth's ear again. "And it seems to me the sound doesn't come from overhead. "

"More as though it came up from the ground, " returned Ruth, in the samelow voice. "Do you suppose we are standing on the roof of a cavern, ChessCopley?"

"It might be, " agreed the young fellow. "But if it is a cavern, whereunder the sun is the mouth of it? How do they get in or out? It beats mytime!"

Ruth quickly acknowledged that the mystery was beyond her comprehension. The sing-song sounds--for such they seemed to be--went on and on, meaningless for the two listeners, who could not distinguish a singleword. 

"Think that's your King of the Pipes?" asked Chessleigh finally. 

"I don't know. If it is, there must be something more the matter with himthan Willie says there is. He sounds crazy--that is the way it sounds tome. "

CHAPTER XX

A FAILURE IN CALCULATION

"What shall we do now?" asked Ruth finally, and in a whisper. 

"Let's go down to that place where we saw the boat land the othermorning, " returned her companion. "I'd like to look about there a bit. "

"Do you think it is wise?"

"I don't know about the wisdom of it, " chuckled Chessleigh. "But I doknow that I'm not at all satisfied. Some people are here on the island, and I'd like to know where they are. "

"I am afraid we will get into trouble. "

"If it is only that old man----"

"We don't know that it is. He must be talking to somebody--if that is hisvoice we hear. "

"Maybe he is only talking to himself. I don't hear anybody else, " repliedthe young fellow. "Come on. Let's see the thing through, now we havestarted. "

Indeed Ruth wanted to see it through. She was quite as curious as hercompanion. So she made no further objection. 

Pushing through the brush, they climbed carefully down the slope on theouter side of the island. The landing where they had fastened their ownboat was on the inner side of the island, while this side fronted thebroad expanse of the river. 

They could see the hurrying current, glinted here and there by the softstarlight. Everything looked ghostly about them. The dim silvery lightmade it possible for them to pick their way without stumbling. They madelittle noise in reaching the shore. 

There was a little indention here--a tiny cove. The shore was shelving, and of sand and gravel. Chess pointed silently to the unmistakable marksof a boat's bow in several places. 

"That boat has been here more than once, " he whispered. 

Ruth breathed "Yes, " but said no more. 

Up-stream of the cove was a great mass of rock--not one rock, but severalhuddled together and the cracks between overgrown with brush and vines. Chess brought into use the electric torch again. 

He shot the spotlight into the crannies. Was there a path there betweentwo of the big boulders? He drew Ruth's attention to it with a touch onher arm. She saw that some of the bushes were broken--the vines torn awayand dead. 

"Somebody has been here, " she murmured. 

"Of course. That is what we came to find, " said the young man. "We are onthe verge of a discovery, Ruth. "

"I hope we are not on the verge of trouble, " she returned, in the samelow tone. 

"Don't have a bit of fear, " he told her, in a louder voice. 

He was about to mention the loaded pistol in his pocket; then thoughtbetter of it. But he went ahead, venturing into the narrow passagebetween the two boulders. 

The ray of the torch showed the way. It played on the ground at theirfeet and upon the rocky sides of the passage. Was that an abrupt end tothe passage ahead of them, or a sharp turn in it? Chess pressed on, Ruthtrying to peer over his shoulder, although to do this she had to stand ontiptoe. 

"By jove!" uttered the young man in surprise, "I believe it is a cavern. It's the entrance to a cave. "

"Then those voices did come from a cavern. Be careful, Chess--do!"

He had reached the turn in the passage. A jutting shelf of rock roofedthem over. The young man shut off the lamp and they were in darkness. Hethrust forward his head to peer around the corner. 

As he did so, without the least warning, something swished through theair and Ruth heard the sound of a dull blow. Chess pitched forward, witha groan of pain, falling to his knees. 

Ruth uttered a scream. She did not try to retreat, but seized the youngman by the shoulders and dragged him back. 

Her brave act saved the young fellow from receiving a second and heavierblow. A club was being wielded in the hands of a powerful man who had metthem in the passage!

Chess was speechless and apparently in a confused state of mind. Theelectric torch had fallen from his hand. He seemed struggling to getsomething out of his jacket pocket, but before he could accomplish this alight flashed up in the tunnel ahead. 

The same sing-song, chattering voice they had heard so faintly on thesummit of the island broke out close at hand. In the red, flickeringlight of a burning pine torch the frightened girl saw a man in abroad-brimmed hat and loose, flapping upper garment bending over Chesswith a club again raised to strike. 

"Don't hurt him! Don't hit him again!" she cried. 

Other voices--all speaking in that strange, sing-song tongue--broke out, and Ruth suddenly realized that these enemies that confronted them wereChinese. 

In the red light she saw clearly now, under the round, broad-brimmed hat, the yellow face and slanting eyes of the man. Ruth did not understandit--she could not imagine why these Orientals should be here on theisland. But she realized fully that the calculations of Copley andherself had gone astray. They were in peril--serious peril. 

The leading Chinaman glared into Ruth's frightened face and his thin lipscurled back from his yellow teeth in a snarl like that of a rabid dog. His very look was enough to turn the girl cold. She trembled, stillstriving to drag the half-senseless Chessleigh back. 

The Chinaman uttered a long, jabbering howl, turning his face over hisshoulder as though speaking to those who crowded behind him in thepassage. Ruth might still have escaped, but she would not desert herinjured companion. 

Suddenly there was a stir in the passage and the big Chinaman was thrustaside. Another figure pushed forward--a ragged, bushy-haired figure. Itwas the King of the Pipes!

"Hush!" he commanded in his old way. 

He waved the Chinaman back. He seemed to have some authority, for theburly Chinaman obeyed. The old man thrust his face forward and peeredwith his wild eyes into Ruth's countenance. 

"Hush!" he whispered. "What did I tell you? I know you, of course. I toldyou that I could not divide my kingdom with any one. It was quite uselessfor you to come here again. 

"And see what has come of it, " he added. "The Pipes have seen you. Theyknow your intentions. They will never in this world stand for a dividedkingdom. I shall have to cut off your head. Too bad! Too bad!"

He seized Ruth's wrist. She tried to draw away from him, but he was muchmore powerful than she had supposed. One quick jerk and she was fairlydragged over the crouching figure of Copley and around the corner of thenarrow passage. 

The head Chinaman darted forward and seized Chess. He likewise wasdragged into the place. Amid the chattering of several high, sing-songvoices, and only half seeing what was being done because of theflickering torchlight, Ruth knew that she was being hurried into a tunnelof some size that ran back into the island. 

It was rocky all about her--on both sides as well as under foot andoverhead. It was a natural tunnel, not one made by man. The figuresflitting before her were gnomelike. She saw clearly only the old man wholed her, holding her tightly by the arm. She knew that the Chinaman wasdragging Chess behind them, as though that unfortunate young man was asack of potatoes. 

This outcome of their innocent adventure was entirely different fromanything Ruth had dreamed of. If she did not exactly fear the queer oldman who called himself the King of the Pipes, she certainly did fear themen who were with him in this cavern. 

CHAPTER XXI

IN THE CHINESE DEN

It was several minutes before Ruth could accustom her sight to theuncertain, flickering flame of the torches with which the cavern wasilluminated. There was, too, a small fire on a stone hearth and above ita stone and cement chimney that portrayed ingenuity in its building. 

The cavern was a natural one, but man had made of it a not impossiblehabitation. She felt rugs under her feet as she was drawn along by theKing of the Pipes, and when her eyes became accustomed to the half-gloomof the place she saw that there were several low tables and a couch ortwo, the latter likewise covered with rugs. 

Not only had some ingenuity been expended in fitting up the cave, but thefurnishings must have occasioned the expenditure of considerable money. It was not at all the sort of place that she would have expected thequeer old man to occupy on the lonely island. 

She was so much interested in Chessleigh's state, however, that she gavesmall attention to these other things. When she could break away from theKing of the Pipes she flung herself down upon her knees beside therecumbent young man and raised his head in her arms. 

Chess had received a hard blow from the Chinaman's club. And he had notuttered a word. The latter fact caused Ruth more alarm than anythingelse. She feared that he was very badly injured, although he was notinsensible. 

But there was no blood on his head and face. She passed her hand swiftlyover his crown and found an unmistakable lump there, a lump raised by theblow. But, looking more closely into his half open eyes she saw moreintelligence in their expression than she expected. 

Indeed, as she peered closely at him she distinctly saw him wink his lefteye, and this act, with the bright look in his eyes, warned her thatCopley was playing possum. 

Having been felled by the blow, and feeling himself out-matched by theChinamen who had come jabbering to the scene, Chess had displayed muchmore helplessness than he need have shown. But Ruth decided that he wasvery wise to do this, and she was much relieved to discover this to bethe fact. She did nothing to attract the attention of their captors tohis real condition. She moaned over him, and made little pitying soundsas though she thought he had been very seriously hurt by the blow he hadreceived. 

The King of the Pipes put his clawlike hand upon her shoulder again. 

"Let him alone. He will have to have his head off, of course. No hope forit. But I will try to postpone your decapitation until the thirty-firstday of June, which comes when there are two Sundays in the same week. Eh?Isn't that shrewd? As King of the Pipes I have to show great astuteness. Oh, great astuteness!"

"I am sure you will help us, sire, " murmured Ruth, standing up once moreand looking appealingly at the queer old man. 

"Well, I will do what I can. But, remember, we kings can't do what weonce could. Seems to me I told you that before. The war did the businessfor us. And I would not dare suggest taking a consort. The Pipes wouldnever stand for it. "

"Whom do you call 'the Pipes'?" Ruth asked wonderingly. 

"Look about you. See them? Already they are beginning to smoke up again. And it is a dirty smell. I have to go out and roam about the island toget away from it. Dreadful! To give up my throne room to nasty littlebrass pipes. Ugh!"

While he was speaking the girl stared about her, now better able to seethe place and the people in it. There were at least half a dozen men. Andall were Chinamen, as far as she could see, although not all were dressedin blouse and loose trousers and wadded slippers--the usual costume ofthe un-westernized Chinaman. 

Two of the men were lying down, and there were tiny lamps sputtering onthe low stools, or tables, set close to their heads. They heldlong-stemmed pipes with small brass bowls, and had begun to smokesomething that had a very pungent and disagreeable odor. 

Ruth's mind had begun to clear. She remembered the heavy boxes she andChess had seen brought ashore, and the Chinaman in the speed launch, andthen the yellow-faced woman being taken on this very day toward theAmerican shore. The whole puzzle began to fit together like a piece ofpatchwork. 

Chinamen; a high-powered boat going back and forth across the St. Lawrence; a hidden cave on this supposedly uninhabited island; the heavyboxes; the smoking of this vile paste which she now saw a third Chinamandip out of a tiny bowl, on a stick, and drop into his pipe in the form ofa "pill. "

_Opium!_

If these men--and the white men of the speed launch--did any smuggling itwas not diamonds they smuggled. It was opium. And they were probablyrunning Chinese across the border as well. Ruth knew that she was in avery serious predicament when she had swiftly thought this out, if shehad not realized it before. 

What would these evil-looking yellow men do to her--and to poor Chess?The latter, she was relieved to feel, was biding his time. But whatchance was likely to arise which would lead to their escape from thiscavern?

She looked about the place. Two of the yellow men were between her andthe passage through which she and her companion had been dragged. If shewanted to, she could not make a dash for liberty. 

She turned again to the bedraggled and ragged-haired old man, curiosityabout whom had led to this predicament. The King of the Pipes waswatching her with eyes that glittered like a bird's. 

"Hush!" he whispered, moving nearer again. "You cannot escape. The Pipesare very strong and very agile. They would not let you. To tell thetruth, they fear so much for my safety that I haven't the freedom myselfthat I would sometimes like. "

"Can't you leave this place?" Ruth asked softly. 

"Hush!" he warned her in his usual stealthy way. "Don't speak of it. Ofcourse a king can do no wrong, and naturally a king can do as he pleases. Otherwise, what is kingship? But it is always well to bow to thepeculiarities and the prejudices of one's subjects. They do not like meto leave the throne-room at certain times. So I do not attempt to do so. When you met me before, my dear, there was nobody on the island butmyself. But to-night you see how many are here, and more yet to come. "

"More Chinamen?" she whispered. 

"No. Perhaps no more of the Pipes, " and she thought he showed involuntarydisgust of the opium-smokers. "But other subjects of mine who must becatered to. Oh, dear, yes! Being a king is not all it is cracked up tobe, I assure you. "

For some reason Ruth felt more alarm because of this last statement ofthe poor old man than of anything that had gone before. She realized thathe, of course, really had no influence with the opium smugglers. But shebegan to understand that there were other men coming here who might bemore savage than the Chinamen. 

She remembered that there had been several white men in the launch whenshe had observed it, and that on one occasion Horatio Bilby had been oneof them. Now, Ruth felt not only a great distaste for Bilby, but shefeared him exceedingly. 

It might be that the red-faced fat man who had so fretted Mr. Hammond andher about Wonota, had only crossed the river in the launch as apassenger. He might have no close connection with the opium smugglers. 

But knowing Bilby as she did, Ruth could imagine that he might be mixedup in almost any illegal business that promised large returns in money. If he would attempt to steal the Indian girl, why would he not join handswith opium smugglers and Chinese runners, if he saw a possibility of gainin those industries?

She wished she might talk to Chess and learn just what was working in hismind at that moment. She was quite sure that he was by no means asstunned as he appeared to be. 

She approved of his feigning, for as long as these men did not seek toinjure her, why should he incur their further notice? He lay on the rug, quite as though he was helpless; but she knew he was alert and was ready, if occasion arose, to show much more agility than the Chinamen or the oldKing of the Pipes dreamed. 

CHAPTER XXII

THE TWINS' ALARM

It was fully an hour after the _Lauriette_ had chugged away from the dockat the island where the moving picture company was established that themotor-boat which had been to Oak Point returned with Tom Cameron aboard. 

Tom, with the other men who had been exploring and fishing all day, wasravenously hungry, but he went around to the veranda of the chiefbungalow where his twin sister and Ruth stayed to see how they werebefore even going to wash and to see if he could bribe one of the cooksto set out "a cold snack. "

Tom found Helen on the porch, alone. At a glance, too, he saw that shewas not in a pleasant mood. 

"What's gone wrong?" demanded Tom. And with a brother's privilege ofbeing plain-spoken, he added: "You look cross. Go in search of yourtemper. "

"Who says I've lost it?" demanded Helen sharply. 

"I Cagliostro--Merlin--wizard that I am, " chuckled Tom. "I am stilllittle Brighteyes, and I can see just as far into a spruce plank as thenext one. "

"Well, I am mad, if you want to know, " sniffed Helen. 

"Where's Ruth?"

"She's whom I am mad at, " declared the girl, nodding. 

"I don't believe it, " said Tom soothingly. "We could not really be mad atRuth Fielding. "

"Don't you feel that way yourself--the way she acts with Chess Copley?"

"I wouldn't mind punching 'Lasses' head, " returned Tom. "But that'sdifferent. "

"Is that so? What do you know about their being out on the river togetherright now? Humph!"

"Where have they gone?" asked her brother. "Why aren't you with them? Arethey alone?"

This brought out the full particulars of the affair, and Tom listened tothe end of a rather excited account of what had happened thatafternoon--both on the island where Helen and Ruth had been "marooned"and here at the camp--together with the suspicions and curiosity aboutthe island which had been dubbed the Kingdom of Pipes. Nor did it lackinterest in Tom's ears in spite of his sister's rather excited way oftelling it. 

"But look here, " he asked. "Why didn't you go with Ruth and 'Lasses?"

"Humph! They didn't want me, " sniffed Helen. 

"Now, Helen, you know better. Ruth never slighted you in the world. Iknow her better than that. "

"Well, she makes too much of Chess Copley. She is always praising him upto me. And I don't like it. I'll treat him just as I want to--so there!"

Tom looked rather sober at this. He hesitated a moment. He wanted to askhis pettish sister a question, but evidently did not know how to go aboutit. 

"It can't be helped now, I suppose. They will be back after a while. Where were they going besides to that crazy fellow's island?"

"Just there. That's all. "

"Come on and watch me eat. I'm starved. "

"Thanks! I watched the pythons fed at the zoo once, " said Helen withunwonted sharpness. "I will sit here till the scene of savagery is over. You can come back. "

"You are in a fine mood, I see, " observed Tom, and went off chuckling. 

Nevertheless, he was not feeling very happy himself over the thought thatRuth and Chess Copley were out on the river together. 

"Looks mighty fishy, " muttered Tom Cameron. "I could punch 'Lasses' head, the way I feel. "

These thoughts seemed to take Tom's appetite away. To his sister'ssurprise, he returned in a very few minutes to the front porch of thebungalow. 

"I told you that you had boa-constrictor habits, " she gasped. "Why, TomCameron! you must have swallowed your supper whole. "

"I didn't swallow as much as I expected, " returned the young man, smiling. But he grew serious again. "How long was Chess going to stay outin his boat?" he asked. 

"You don't suppose that I saw him go?" asked Helen, with surprise. 

"Do you know that it is after eleven o'clock?" said her brother. "If theywent no further than that crazy man's island, what do you suppose iskeeping them?"

"Mercy's sake! is that the time, Tommy-boy? Why, the crazy man himselfmust be keeping them! Do you suppose the King of the Pipes has capturedRuth and Chess?"

"Don't try to be funny, " advised Tom. "It may be no laughing matter. "

"Well, I like that!"

"I don't think that Chess would keep her out so late if everything wasall right. Sure they were not going to Copley Island?"

"Sure. The girls have gone away. There's no fun going on there. "

"Well, of course the motor-boat may have broken down. Such thingshappen, " said Tom reflectively. 

"Now you have got me stirred up, " cried Helen. "I had no idea it was solate. And Ruthie does not believe in late hours. "

"She would not stay out on the river with me half the night, that issure, " grumbled Tom. 

"Oh, Tommy-boy!" exclaimed his sister, "I don't believe she cares so muchfor Chess. I really don't. "

"Well, that is not here nor there. What's to be done? Where's Mr. Hammond--or Willie?"

"They haven't got back from Chippewa Bay with the _Gem_. "

"This clumsy old _Tamarack_ is too big for me to handle alone. And theboys have all gone to bed by this time. "

"The canoes aren't too big for us to handle, " Helen said. 

"Us?"

"Yes. I insist on going, too, if you start out to look for the_Lauriette_. And it will look better too. If we are simply paddlingabout, there being nothing the matter with Chess and Ruth, they won't beable to laugh at us. Come on!" exclaimed Helen, picking up her sweater. "I am a loyal sister, Tom Cameron. "

"Right-o!" he agreed, more cheerfully. "I suppose there really is nothingthe matter. Yet, whatever else Chess Copley is, he's not the sort offellow to keep a girl out till midnight on the river when there is nobodyelse along. "

"Humph! Do you think Ruth is a mere chit of a flapper? You areold-fashioned, Tommy-boy. The day of the chaperon is about over. "

"You know it isn't over in our set, and never will be, " he returned. "Yougirls have a lot of freedom, I admit. But there are limits. "

"Baa!" was Helen's utterly impudent remark. 

They ran down to the shore and got out one of the canoes. Helen wasfamiliar with the use of the paddle and served her brother as a goodsecond. They drove the canoe out into the open river, but only just for alook up its expanse. 

There was no motor-boat in sight or hearing--not even the distant lightsof one. The current was so strong that the Cameron twins went back amongthe islands where the water was smoother. Besides, it was much moreromantic, Helen said wickedly, among the islands, and Chess and Ruth weremore likely to remain in the tortuous passages. 

The two laid a pretty direct course, however, for the Kingdom of Pipes. As they spied it, and drew nearer, Tom suddenly stopped paddling and heldup his hand. 

"What's the matter?" demanded his sister, likewise raising her paddle outof the water. 

"Listen, " warned Tom. 

Faintly there came the noise of a motor-boat to their straining ears. 

"Here they are!" shrilled Helen. 

"Will you be still?" demanded her brother. "That's not Copley's boat. It's a deal bigger craft. She's on the other side of the island. "

Helen leaned forward and caught at his sleeve. "Look there!" shewhispered. "There is the _Lauriette_. "

She had been the first to see the outline of the Copley launch mooredclose to the shore of the island at its upper end. 

"They've gone ashore, " said Tom. "Where can they be? If that other boatis approaching this island----"

"Oh, Tom! The pirates!"

"Oh, fudge!"

"The smugglers, then. Chess said he believed there were smugglers here. "

"What do they smuggle?" demanded Tom with some scorn. 

"I don't know. He did not seem very clear about it. "

"Just the same, " Tom observed, sinking his paddle again in the water, "there may be trouble in the air. "

"Trouble on the river, I guess you mean, " giggled Helen. 

But she giggled because she was excited and nervous. She was quite asalarmed as Tom was over the possibility that Chess and Ruth had got intosome difficulty on the King of the Pipes' island. 

CHAPTER XXIII

TROUBLE ENOUGH

Returning to Ruth Fielding in the cavern: Although her heart beat rapidlyand she really was fearful, she showed little perturbation in hercountenance and manner after she had talked with Charley Pond, if thatwas the real name of the King of the Pipes. 

Just how mentally disturbed the old man was it was difficult for the girlto judge. But she feared that he had, after all his claims, absolutely noinfluence with the Chinamen. 

She believed that the leader of the Orientals was the heavy-set Chinamanwho had struck Chessleigh Copley down with the club. The others--somesmoking the little brass pipes, and others not smoking--were probably menwho were endeavoring to get into the States without the knowledge of theemigration authorities. Indeed, they were already in New York. Thisisland was south of the American line. But from the Kingdom of Pipes toany city where the Chinamen would be safe from apprehension was a prettybig jump. 

As for the opium--the smoke of which Ruth smelled now for the firsttime--she had no idea how that commodity might be handled or disposed of. She knew that it was valuable, even when imported for medicinal purposes. There was a heavy tariff on it, as well as restrictions upon the tradingin it. 

If those boxes--each as heavy as a man could lift and which she and Chesshad seen brought ashore on this island--contained opium, there might bemany thousand of dollars' worth of the drug, in its paste form, here now. Perhaps it was hidden somewhere in this cave. 

Ruth had seated herself upon the end of one of the low tables. She knewthat all the furniture in the cavern, including the rugs, must be ofChinese manufacture. There could be no doubt that the place was fitted upfor the convenience of the Orientals. 

She looked about, trying to penetrate the obscurity of the place. Werethere passages besides the one by which she and Chess had been draggedin? Were there other apartments in the cavern, shut off by some of thehanging rugs which she saw?

Her principal thought, however, was of the possibility of escape. And shewished heartily that she and Copley could get out of the cave before thearrival of the "others" of whom the King of the Pipes had spoken. Whoeverthey might be--or whether Horatio Bilby was one of them--Ruth did notwant to meet the smugglers and Chinese runners. 

She feared very much for her safety, and for that of her companion. Thelaw-breakers would know immediately that their safety was threatened. They must know that if they allowed Ruth and Chess to depart from thecave, their presence here and what they were doing would be reported tothe police. And men like Bilby, who would stoop to anything for money, were not likely to give over such a profitable business as the smugglingof opium without a fight. 

Just how much did Bilby and his companions care for the law? It was aquestion that created no little anxiety in Ruth's mind. And she wondered, too, what Chess thought about it. 

The young fellow lay upon the floor of the cavern, silent and immovable. She was quite sure, by the exceedingly knowing wink that he had givenher, that he was neither panic-stricken nor seriously hurt. He was merelywaiting to see what would turn up. 

And what would happen when the new chance did turn up? Already Chess wasin opposition to at least seven Chinamen, if he attempted anything. Andif those the old man had spoken of, likewise appeared, what could Copleydo against such numbers?

There was nothing Ruth, herself, could do. She sat quietly on the end ofthe low table and looked sadly about the dimly lighted place. This wascertainly a situation from which her usually ingenious mind could inventno means of escape. 

Suddenly the old man who called himself the monarch of this island camefrom the corner where he had been standing, watching Ruth, and made hisway swiftly to the entrance to the cave. The big Chinaman got up andlooked at him. The King of the Pipes waved his hand and pointed throughthe passage. 

It seemed to be sufficiently clear--that gesture--for the Chinaman beganto gabble to his friends. They scrambled to their feet--all but two whohad fallen into a sluggish state after their indulgence in the use of thedrug. They looked toward the cavern entrance. The King of the Pipesdisappeared through the passage. 

Ruth stole a stealthy glance at Chess. She saw that he had moved. He waslying with his right hand covered by his body. There seemed an alertnessabout him--in posture and in gleaming, half-closed eyes--that startledRuth. What had the young fellow in his mind to do. For what was hewaiting?

In a minute she heard the ring of quick steps upon the rock-floor of thetunnel. 

Ruth shrank away from the table and stood at her companion's head. Whatwould the newcomers--Bilby, perhaps--do to Copley and to her?

And it was Bilby! The little, red-faced, greenish-eyed man, projectedhimself into the cavern as though he had been shot out of a gun. 

"What's the matter here? What's going on, I want to know? That crazy-headis trying to tell me something--Ye gods! A girl?"

He saw Ruth vaguely. Then he glanced down at the prostrate Copley. 

"Who knocked him out?" demanded Bilby. 

The burly Chinaman was the one he addressed, who answered in a form ofEnglish:

"Allee same me. I get um, Mist' Blibly. "

"For mercy's sake!" whined Bilby, wringing his fat hands. "These peoplearen't police. They are some of the summer visitors. Now we _are_ in amess!"

"Allee same look-see, " growled the Chinaman. He kicked Chessleigh, andnot gently. "Number one sneakee--him! She----"

He nodded violently toward Ruth, thus drawing Bilby's attention to thegirl. Bilby strained his fat neck forward to see the girl more closely. There were other sounds coming from the passage. 

"What's doing, Mr Bilby?" asked a gruff voice. 

The fat little man was panting. He pointed waveringly at Ruth. 

"Here's a pretty mess, " he gasped. "What between these Chinks and thatcrazy old duffer, they have got me in a nice mess. I know this girl. Shebelongs to that moving picture outfit. Now what are we going to do?"

"Knock her in the head, " was the advice of the growling voice. 

The advice probably was not intended to be followed. It was said perhapsto scare Ruth. But it excited somebody else besides the girl of the RedMill. 

Before Bilby could reply or anybody else could speak, Copley came to hisfeet with all the suddenness of a jumping-jack. Bilby squealed andstarted back, falling against the gruff man who had followed him into thecave and who was evidently the boatman. 

"What's this?" ejaculated this man. 

But that was all he said. The Chinamen squealed in unison, and that wasall from them. Bilby himself faintly groaned. 

"Put your hands up--all of you!" commanded Copley, and one of the mostamazing things about the whole wild extravaganza was that the youngfellow's voice was perfectly unshaken. 

Lads that have been in the army are apt to consider circumstances likethese as meat and drink to them. Chessleigh had not served Uncle Sam invain. He was as cool as the proverbial cucumber!

"Put your hands up--all of you! There are ten shots in this magazine andevery one of them will get its man. Quick! Up with 'em!"

In all probability only one of the Chinamen understood this strictlyAmerican form of expression. But when the burly Chinaman elevated hisyellow hands, his fellow countrymen did the same. 

As for Bilby and the boatman, they reached toward the roof of the cavernhastily. There was no hesitation on their part. Although Copley wasalone, his unwavering attitude and the threat of the automatic pistol, played hob with such shreds of courage as the malefactors possessed. 

CHAPTER XXIV

A LETTER COMES

Nobody had come through the passage into the cave save Bilby and theboatman. Chess stood where he could keep half an eye, at least, upon theopening, and although the passage was filled with shadow he was quitesure there was nobody lurking there who was friendly to the law-breakers. 

"Just step around behind those two men and see if they are armed, MissRuth, will you?" went on Copley. "Take 'em from behind. Don't get in linewith my pistol. For if I begin to shoot, somebody is bound to get hit. Keep your hands up, you fellows!" and he gestured toward the Chinamen. 

Even the two of their number who had been half-overcome with the fumes ofopium had come to attention when Chess produced his pistol. The Chinamenhuddled together at one side. The boatman and Bilby were opposite thedoorway of the tunnel. Ruth promptly obeyed Chess and went around behindthe last-named two of the enemy. 

Ruth hesitated a moment in the dusk there at the opening of the passage. She hated to touch either Bilby or the other man. But probably both ofthem were armed, and for the sake of safety their weapons must be takenfrom them. 

While she hesitated she heard a faint rustle in the passage. Then camethe softest possible whisper:

"Ss-st!"

Ruth jumped and glanced over her shoulder. Was it friend or enemy whoevidently tried to attract her attention by this sibilant sound?

A figure moved in the gloom. Before she could cry any warning to Copleyan arm was put firmly about her and Ruth was almost lifted to one side. She saw the gleam of a weapon in the other hand of her neighbor, and thepoint of this weapon was dug suddenly into the broad back of the gruffboatman who was Bilby's companion. 

"Don't get nervous, 'Lasses, " came in Tom Cameron's voice. "We're allfriends here. Ah! A nice automatic pistol from our friend, Mr. Bilby. Just so. Here, Nell!"

But it was Ruth's hand that took the captured weapon, although Helenstood at her side squeezing her other hand and whispering:

"My goodness, Ruthie, what a perfectly glorious experience! Are those thereal smugglers?"

"I shouldn't wonder, " replied her friend. Then she accepted the revolverextracted from the hip pocket of the boatman by Tom Cameron. "Where isthe King of the Pipes?"

"Taking the air. We heard the talk below here through the hollow tree. Doyou know, " whispered Helen, "that old beech is a regular chimney. And wesaw the boat come here. Then we grabbed the King of the Pipes outside. "

"Tom did not hurt him, I hope?" murmured Ruth. 

"Not a bit of it. In fact, the queer old fellow said he was willing toabdicate in Tom's favor, and now, I suppose, Tommy-boy is King of thePipes, " and Helen, the irrepressible, grinned. 

The two ex-army men, however, took the matter quite seriously. Tomdisarmed the Chinamen as well as the white men. And to search and disarma squirming Oriental, they found not easy work. 

"But I disarmed enough Fritzies in Europe to learn my job pretty well. How's the weather, Sergeant?"

"All right here, Captain Cameron, " said Copley seriously. 

"Then I'll back out with this bunch of junk. Here's a pair of brassknuckles in the bunch. I'll use 'em on any of these fellows who try torun. We'll keep 'em hived up here till the police come. One fellow canhold 'em. Unless they try to climb up that hollow beech tree. "

"No fear, " said Copley. "Get the girls out first. "

Tom had already loaded both Ruth and Helen down with the loot from themalefactors' pockets. He motioned to the girls to leave the cavern. 

"Hold on! Hold on!" Bilby cried. "I beg of you, don't leave me with thesemen. I only happen to be here by chance--"

"A bad chance for you, then, " said Chess Copley. "Don't listen to him, Captain Cameron. "

"No, don't listen to him, " said Ruth severely. "I know he is worse thanthe others. Why, Tom! he is the man who has made us all that troubleabout Wonota and my picture. "

"Sure, " agreed Tom. "I know the snake. Go ahead, girls. Chess and I willfollow you. And one of us will be right in this passage all the time, " headded, addressing the two white men. "Don't make any mistake. We'll shootif you try to come out until you are told to. "

The girls were already feeling their way through the darkness of thetunnel. At the turn Ruth kicked something, and, stooping, secured Chess'electric torch. She pressed the switch and the illumination allowed thetwo young men to overtake them with more certainty, Chess backing outwith his pistol trained on the opening into the cavern. 

When once the four friends were around the turn and out of hearing of theprisoners, Tom Cameron began to chuckle. 

"This is no laughing matter!" exclaimed his sister. "I am so excited Idon't know what to do. "

"Keep right on, " said Ruth. "I want to get home just as soon as I can. Idon't believe I shall care hereafter to leave the island until we arethrough with the picture and can go back to the Red Mill. What are youlaughing about, Tom Cameron?"

"I don't know how 'Lasses is fixed, " said the amused Tom. "But my pistolisn't loaded. It is my old service automatic and needs repairing, anyway. "

"Don't fret, Cameron. Mine is loaded all right, " said Chess grimly. 

"Then you stay and guard the cave, " said Tom. 

"You bet you! You couldn't get me away from here until you have sent forthe sheriff and he comes for the gang. I believe we have done a goodnight's work. "

"Oh, you were wonderful!" Helen burst out. "And Ruth says they knockedyou down and hurt you. "

"I shall get over that all right, " returned Chess quietly. 

But when they were out of the passage and on the open shore Heleninsisted upon fussing around Chessleigh, bathing the lump on his head, and otherwise "mothering" him in a way that secretly delighted Ruth. Tomlooked at his sister in some amazement. 

"What do you know about that?" he whispered to Ruth. "She was as sore athim as she could be an hour ago. "

"You don't know your own sister very well, Tom, " retorted Ruth. 

"Humph!" ejaculated Tom Cameron. "Perhaps we fellows don't understand anygirl very well. "

But Ruth was not to be led into any discussion of that topic then. It wasagreed that she and Helen and Tom should hurry back to the motion picturecamp at once. 

"The King of the Pipes won't bite you, " Tom said to Chess. "Only don'tlet him go back into the cave. Those fellows might do him some harm. Andthe sheriff will want him for a witness against the gang. He is not socrazy as he makes out to be. "

The night's adventures were by no means completed, for Ruth and Helencould not go to bed after they reached the bungalow until they knew howit all turned out. Mr. Hammond had returned before them, and Willie andTom started at once for Chippewa Bay in the _Gem_. 

The capture of Bilby in connection with the smugglers and Chinese runnersdelighted the motion picture producer. 

"That will settle the controversy, I believe, " Mr. Hammond said to thetwo girls. "Bilby's attempt to annoy us must fall through now. We willget Totantora and Wonota back from Canada and finish the pictureproperly. But, believe me! I have had all the experience I want withfreak stars. The expense and trouble I have been put to regarding Wonotahas taught me a lesson. I'd sell my contract with Wonota to-morrow--orafter the picture is done--for a song. "

Ruth looked at him steadily for a moment. 

"Do you mean that, Mr. Hammond?" she asked quietly. 

"Yes, I do. "

Helen laughed. "I guess Ruth is thinking of singing that song. Ruthbelieves in Wonota. "

"If I could carry the tune, " her chum said, more lightly. "We'll talk ofthat later, Mr. Hammond. "

"Oh, I would give you first chance, Miss Ruth, " said the producer. "Bythe way, " and he turned to his desk. "I brought mail from the town. Hereare several letters for you, Miss Ruth, and one for Miss Cameron. "

The girls began to open their letters as soon as they reached their room. But it was Helen's single epistle that created the most excitement. 

"It's from Carrie Perrin, " she said to Ruth. Then, in a moment, sheuttered a cry that drew Ruth's full attention. "Listen to this! What doyou know about this, Ruth?"

"What is it, my dear?" asked her chum, in her usual composed manner. 

"Just think of that!" cried Helen, in tears. "And I have treated him sohatefully. He'll never forgive me in this world, I suppose. It is aboutChess, " she sobbed, and handed her chum the letter. 

CHAPTER XXV

THE HEART'S DESIRE

"And what do you think of this, Nell? I've wormed out of Bill Kenmore thetruth about that mean joke the boys played on us last spring when we wereall at Jennie Stone's. Excuse! I suppose I should say Madame Marchand's. To think of Heavy Stone being an old married woman now!

"Well, Bill Kenmore always did have a crazy streak--and he wasn'tshell-shocked in France, either. You remember the time you went away downtown in answer to a telegram, thinking it was somebody who needed youvery much, and you walked into that place and found the boys all dressedup and ready to give you the 'ha, ha!'?

"I know it got you awfully mad--and I don't blame you. Chess was there, Iknow. But he didn't even know what the row was all about. Bill engineeredthe whole thing, and he thinks still that it was an awfully good joke. His ideas of humor must have originated in the Stone Age. 

"I made him tell me all about it, he thinking I would be amused. Then Iturned him right out of our parlor and told him not to call again. I hearthat he thinks I am a regular cat!

"But who wouldn't be cattish with a fellow who has no more sense? Anyhow, we know the truth now. Perhaps Chess Copley is not very sharp, but Icouldn't think of his doing anything really mean. So now you know. IfChess is up there at the Thousand Islands you can tell him from me, atleast, that 'all is forgiven. ' Sounds like a newspaper personal, doesn'tit?"

 * * * * *

Ruth stopped reading there, and looked brightly at her chum. 

"What do you think of that?" asked the latter, wiping her eyes. 

"Well, my dear, I shouldn't cry about it, " said Ruth. "I think it is anoccasion to be joyful. "

"But, Chess--"

"Is of a forgiving nature, I think, " Ruth said. "At any rate, I would notlet the matter stand between me and a nice boy friend any longer. I couldnever suspect Chess of doing an unkind thing. "

"But I have wronged him!" cried Helen, who was, after all, tender-hearted. 

"Do you know, " said her friend, "I believe you can make it up to him verynicely, if you want to, Helen?"

The _Gem_ returned to the island just at daybreak. The girls ran down tothe dock to meet the returned young men and Willie. Chess Copley had cometo get his own motor-boat, and the report they made of the end of thesmuggling affair was very satisfactory. 

The sheriff and his posse in a big motor-boat had gone to the Kingdom ofPipes and relieved Chess of his duty as guardian of the cave. TheChinamen, who were hiding there until they could be shipped into theStates dressed in feminine garments, were all handcuffed, together withthe owner of the launch and Horatio Bilby, and loaded into the sheriff'slaunch. 

"And you should have heard Bilby squeal, " said Tom. "There is one bad eggwho is likely to pay a considerable penalty for his crimes. He'll not getout of the mess very easy. "

"What of the King of the Pipes?" asked Ruth. 

"Poor old Charley-Horse Pond, " Willie, the boatman, said, "will bedetained as a witness. Already he has got a new name for himself. Heisn't 'King of the Pipes' any longer. "

"What do you mean?" Ruth inquired, for she was interested in the queerold man and his fate. 

"He told me that he was Major André, " chuckled Willie. "He is a NumberOne spy. The sheriff knows him well and knows there isn't a mite of harmin him. "

Later it came out that the old man had been living on the island for sometime, having found the cave there. The smugglers of opium and the Chinesefound him there and made use of him. But when the court proceedings cameon, Pond was merely used by the prosecution as a witness. Hisharmlessness was too apparent for the court to doubt him. 

That particular day had to be a day of rest for Ruth and her friends, forthey had had no sleep the night before. But while they slept Mr. Hammond's representative went in search of Totantora and Wonota and thetwo Osage Indians were brought back to the moving picture camp beforenight. 

The work of making the last scenes of "The Long Lane's Turning" was takenup at once, and until the last scene was taken Ruth and her associateswere very busy indeed. The Cameron twins spent most of the ensuing timewith the Copleys and the other summer visitors. And it was noticeablethat Helen was attended by Chess Copley almost everywhere she went. 

Tom saw this with some wonder; but he found very little opportunity totalk to Ruth about it. And when he tried to question Helen regarding herchange toward Chess, she quite ignored the subject. 

"Looks to me, " Tom said to himself, "as though I was shut out in thecold. I wish I hadn't come up here. I might as well be slaving in thatold office. Gee, I'm an unlucky dog!"

For Tom, no more than Helen, could not see that Ruth's attitude towardthe matter of strenuous occupation for a wealthy young man was a fairone. Tom certainly had none of Uncle Jabez Potter's blood in his veins. 

The big scene at the end of the picture--the throne room of the Frenchking--was as carefully made as the other parts of the picture had been. And because of Ruth's coaching Wonota did her part so well that Mr. Hooley was enthusiastic--and to raise enthusiasm in the bosom of acase-hardened director is no small matter. 

"The Boss is rather sore on the whole business, " Hooley said to Ruth. "Ithas been an expensive picture, I admit. We have gone away over the studioestimate. 

"But that is not my fault, nor your fault, nor the Indian girl's fault. Mr. Hammond is not to be blamed either, I suppose, for feeling worried. The motion picture business is getting to that stage now where lavishexpenditure must be curtailed. I fancy Mr. Hammond will make onlyfive-reel program pictures for some time. And where will your big featurepictures come in, Miss Fielding?"

"The program pictures are sure-fire, I suppose, " the girl admitted. "Butit doesn't take much of a story to make those. Nor does it give the starsas good a chance. "

"Well, lean years may be coming. We shall all have to draw in our horns. Remember me, Miss Fielding, if you decide to produce with some otherfirm. I like to work with you, and I have a more or less elastic contractwith the Alectrion Corporation. "

Ruth actually did have an idea for the future. It was in embryo as yet. But, as will be seen in the next volume of this series, entitled, "RuthFielding Treasure Hunting; Or, A Moving Picture that Became Real, " it ledthe girl of the Red Mill into new fields and drew her and her friendsinto new adventures. 

The last scene being completed, Ruth and Helen packed their trunks. ButHelen was to ship hers to the Copley's island up the river, where shewould stay for a week or so before returning to Cheslow. Ruth was goingback to the Red Mill, and after that she was not sure of her movements. 

Tom would accompany her home. She was glad of this, for she knew that, once at home, he must of necessity take up his work again with hisfather. Tom Cameron, however, confessed that he "hated" the dry goodsbusiness. 

Chess Copley showed his appreciation of Ruth's kindness and friendship ina very pretty way indeed. He came to her secretly with a jeweler's box inhis hand. 

"You know, Ruth, you have been just like a sister to me since you havebeen up here. I think as much of you as I do of Sara and Jean--I declareI do! And I know Helen--or--or anybody, won't mind if you wear thislittle trinket. When you wear it remember you've got a good friend whoseinitials are engraved on the inside. "

Ruth accepted the present frankly, for she liked Chess. But she did notknow how beautiful the bracelet was until after Copley had disappeared inhis _Lauriette_. It was more costly than Ruth thought a present from thatsource should be. 

So, rather doubtful, she said nothing to Tom Cameron about the bracelet, although she wore it. She knew that she would have refused such a presentfrom Tom himself. But, then--there was a difference!

She did not intend to be rushed into any agreement with Tom Cameron thatwould at all interfere with her freedom. She still had her career inmind. 

They got back to Cheslow early in July. And how glad Aunt Alvirah was tosee her pretty. As for Uncle Jabez, his interest was in the commercialend of the picture Ruth had made. 

Was it going to make money when it was distributed? How much money hadRuth already drawn in advance royalties? And a multitude of otherquestions of that character came from the old miller's lips. 

"And when do you begin on another of them pictures, Niece Ruth?" headded. "You ain't going to stop now, when there is so much to be made in'em?"

"I do not know exactly what I shall do next, " she told him, shaking herhead. "But I think I shall try to make my next picture under differentcircumstances. But as I don't really know, how can I tell you?"

"Never mind, my pretty, " put in Aunt Alvirah, "you are here with us now, and that means a lot. You certainly deserve a rest, " and the old womanplaced an affectionate hand on Ruth's shoulder. 

At this the girl of the Red Mill smiled. 

"Maybe I do, " she replied, "after all those strenuous happenings on theSt. Lawrence. "

THE END

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THE RUTH FIELDING SERIESBy ALICE B. EMERSON

12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid

RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL or Jasper Parole's Secret

RUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOODHALL or Solving the Campus Mystery

RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP or Lost in the Backwoods

RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT or Nita, the Girl Castaway

RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH or Schoolgirls Among the Cowboys

RUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLAND or The Old Hunter's Treasure Box

RUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARM or What Became of the Raby Orphans

RUTH FIELDING AND THE GYPSIES or The Missing Pearl Necklace

RUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURES or Helping the Dormitory Fund

RUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIE or Great Days in the Land of Cotton

RUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGE or The Missing Examination Papers

RUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLE or College Girls in the Land of Gold

RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS or Doing Her Bit for Uncle Sam

RUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONT or The Hunt for a Lost Soldier

RUTH FIELDING HOMEWARD BOUND or A Red Cross Worker's Ocean Perils

RUTH FIELDING DOWN EAST or The Hermit of Beach Plum Point

RUTH FIELDING IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST or The Indian Girl Star of the Movies

RUTH FIELDING ON THE ST. LAWRENCE or The Queer Old Man of the Thousand Islands

RUTH FIELDING TREASURE HUNTING or A Moving Picture that Became Real

RUTH FIELDING IN THE FAR NORTH or The Lost Motion Picture Company

RUTH FIELDING AT GOLDEN PASS or The Perils of an Artificial Avalanche

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THE BETTY GORDON SERIESBy ALICE B. EMERSON

Author of the Famous "Ruth Fielding" Series

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A series of stories by Alice B. Emerson which are bound to make thiswriter more popular than ever with her host of girl readers. 

1. BETTY GORDON AT BRAMBLE FARM or The Mystery of a Nobody

At the age of twelve Betty is left an orphan. 

2. BETTY GORDON IN WASHINGTON or Strange Adventures in a Great City

In this volume Betty goes to the National Capitol to find her uncle andhas several unusual adventures. 

3. BETTY GORDON IN THE LAND OF OIL or The Farm That Was Worth a Fortune

From Washington the scene is shifted to the great oil fields of ourcountry. A splendid picture of the oil field operations of to-day. 

4. BETTY GORDON AT BOARDING SCHOOL or The Treasure of Indian Chasm

Seeking the treasure of Indian Chasm makes an exceedingly interestingincident. 

5. BETTY GORDON AT MOUNTAIN CAMP or The Mystery of Ida Bellethorne

At Mountain Camp Betty found herself in the midst of a mystery involvinga girl whom she had previously met in Washington. 

6. BETTY GORDON AT OCEAN PARK or School Chums on the Boardwalk

A glorious outing that Betty and her chums never forgot. 

7. BETTY GORDON AND HER SCHOOL CHUMS or Bringing the Rebels to Terms

Rebellious students, disliked teachers and mysterious robberies make afascinating story. 

8. BETTY GORDON AT RAINBOW RANCH or Cowboy Joe's Secret

Betty and her chums have a grand time in the saddle. 

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BILLIE BRADLEY SERIESBy JANET D. WHEELER

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Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid

1. BILLIE BRADLEY AND HER INHERITANCE or The Queer Homestead at Cherry Corners

Billie Bradley fell heir to an old homestead that was unoccupied andlocated far away in a lonely section of the country. How Billie wentthere, accompanied by some of her chums, and what queer things happened, go to make up a story no girl will want to miss. 

2. BILLIE BRADLEY AT THREE-TOWERS HALL or Leading a Needed Rebellion

Three-Towers Hall was a boarding school for girls. For a short time afterBillie arrived there all went well. But then the head of the school hadto go on a long journey and she left the girls in charge of two teachers, sisters, who believed in severe discipline and in very, very plain foodand little of it--and then there was a row! The girls wired for the headto come back--and all ended happily. 

3. BILLIE BRADLEY ON LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND or The Mystery of the Wreck

One of Billie's friends owned a summer bungalow on Lighthouse Island, near the coast. The school girls made up a party and visited the Island. There was a storm and a wreck, and three little children were washedashore. They could tell nothing of themselves, and Billie and her chumsset to work to solve the mystery of their identity. 

4. BILLIE BRADLEY AND HER CLASSMATES or The Secret of the Locked Tower

Billie and her chums come to the rescue of several little children whohave broken through the ice. There is the mystery of a lost invention, and also the dreaded mystery of the locked school tower. 

5. BILLIE BRADLEY AT TWIN LAKES or Jolly Schoolgirls Afloat and Ashore

A tale of outdoor adventure in which Billie and her chums have a greatvariety of adventures. They visit an artists' colony and there fall inwith a strange girl living with an old boatman who abuses her constantly. Billie befriended Hulda and the mystery surrounding the girl was finallycleared up. 

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