THE BOY SCOUTS WITH THE MOTION PICTURE PLAYERSByRobert Shaler

CONTENTS

CHAPTERS I. The Haunted Make-Believe "Castle" II. Creating a Panic III. Taking Possession IV. Scouting at Midnight V. A Startling Surprise VI. Guests at the Camp Fire VII. Faced by a Mystery VIII. As in the Days of Chivalry IX. With the Motion-Picture People X. The Assault on the "Castle" XI. Imitation and Reality XII. When Swords Clashed XIII. Well Done, Scouts! XIV. Oakvale Gets a Thrill

CHAPTER I

THE HAUNTED MAKE-BELIEVE "CASTLE. "

It was about the middle of a fall afternoon, and Friday at that, whenfive well-grown lads, clad in faded khaki suits that proclaimed themto be Boy Scouts, dropped down upon a moss covered log near a coldspring at which they had just quenched their thirst. 

The one who acted as leader, and to whom the others often deferred, answered to the name of Hugh. He was, indeed, Hugh Hardin, assistantscout master; and the others were also full-fledged members of theOakvale Boy Scout Troop of which so much has been written and told. 

Those fortunate readers who are familiar with previous volumes inthis series need no introduction to these lively lads. 

For the benefit of others who have not up to this time made theiracquaintance, it may be said that the boy next to Hugh was Alec Sands;the stout, rosy-cheeked fellow with the beaming face, Billy Worth;the slender one, Arthur Cameron; and the uneasy chap "Monkey" Stallings, so nicknamed on account of his pet hobby for hanging by his toes fromthe cross-pieces of telegraph poles, or the lofty limbs of forest trees. 

It might also be noted further that Hugh was known as a fine all-roundscout; Arthur's leading specialty lay in the line of amateur surgery, at which he was wonderfully proficient; Alec gave the leader a prettygood race in nearly every line of scout activity, while Billy, ---well, to be frank, Billy's strong points might be set down as an everlastingfund of cheery good-nature, and a remarkable capacity for stowing away"grub. "

Apparently the boys were out on some sort of fall hike. Each hadburdened himself not only with a pack but a blanket as well, the lattersecured, after the usual military habit, across one shoulder. 

Each fellow also depended on a stout staff that, in a way, answeredfor an Alpine stock, should they have to climb any hills. Besides, itwas handy as a weapon of defense in case they were attacked by avicious dog. 

"Well, the time limit you set has come, Alec, " Hugh was saying afterthey had stretched themselves along the convenient log. 

"Yes, " burst out Billy, eagerly, "you promised to tell us all whatyou confided to Hugh before he agreed to get up this little weekendhike. I'm burning with curiosity to know what's in the wind. "

"We've taken a leap in the dark, you see, " added Arthur, "becausewhen Hugh said it would be well worth our while we just trusted him. Now, open up, Alec, and relieve our suspense. You said the next timewe stopped you'd begin to explain all this dark mystery. "

"Me, too, " exclaimed the Stallings boy, who was always turning hisrestless eyes upward, as though seeking some enticing branch where hecould exercise his favorite antics. 

Alec Sands laughed softly. 

"I'm ready to tell my little story, boys, " he remarked. "It isn't sucha wonderful one, after all, but Hugh agreed with me that it might givesome of us an excuse for coming up this way. And my aunt had suppliedall the necessary funds covering our railroad fare from Oakvale to thelittle station where we jumped off the local train---Scarsdale. "

"Which aunt, Alec?" demanded Billy, whom it was always difficult tosuppress. 

"Oh! none of you ever met _this_ relative of mine, I guess, " consideredAlec. "Aunt Susan is a very rich woman, and what you might calleccentric if you wanted to be particularly nice, and not use a harsherword. In fact, her nerves have gone back on her, and every littlenoise about sets her _wild_. She has taken a notion that the onlysalvation for her is to find some sort of a quiet country home inwhich her servants can glide around in felt slippers, with never arooster's crow to disturb the dead silence. "

"Whew! you must mean she's a regular crank, Alec---excuse me forsaying it!" exclaimed Billy, wiping his heated brow, for when otherswere shivering the fat boy perspired. 

"Well, forget that part of it, " resumed Alec, making a wry face. "AuntSusan is peculiar, and immensely wealthy, so that money needn't standin the way of her doing anything she fancies. In some way or other itseems she heard about a queer place away up here in the woods. It isknown as Randall's Folly!"

"Why, seems to me I've heard something about that place!" burst outArthur Cameron, in a surprised tone. "Isn't it a modern castle builtby a man years ago and meant to look like some British place in thedays of Queen Elizabeth?"

"Just what it is, Arthur, " chuckled Alec, as though highly amused. 

"Let's see, " pursued the other, uneasily, "there was some sort ofstory told in connection with the castle---strikes me folks said itwas haunted, or something like that. "

"Whew! and are we heading for that beautiful spot as fast as we canhike along?" demanded Billy, his eyes round with wonder, perhapsuneasiness. 

"My aunt wrote to my mother that she wanted some one to come up hereand investigate, so she could have a full description before goingany further into the deal for the property. Not that Aunt Susan bothereda bit about the ghost part of it, but she wanted to know whether thebuilding was a ramshackle affair, or part-way decent. In fact, sheasked for photographs of the place inside and out, and even requestedthat, if I could be induced to take the trip, along with some of thosewonderfully bright chums of mine of whom she had been hearing suchgreat stories, I was to buy the best camera that fifty dollars couldcommand, and use the balance of the hundred for other expenses. Sohere we are close to Randall's Folly, with Saturday ahead of us forbusiness, and meaning to go back home Sunday afternoon. "

"Which lovely programme must include two nights spent under the roofof a haunted house!" gasped Billy, still wiping his streaming forehead, though he really should have been cooled off by this time. 

"For my part, " spoke up Arthur Cameron, "nothing would please me betterthan the chance to say I'd run across a real ghost. I've been readinglots of creepy stories connected with spooks, but they never could getme to believe in such silly things. "

"Same here, " added the Stallings boy, though his voice sounded a trifleunsteady as Hugh could not help noticing. 

"As for me, " the scout master remarked, "I considered it a fine chancefor a little excitement. I, too, had heard some stories about thisgloomy make-believe castle that had been built in the lonely woodsby old Judge Randall when he married a young wife, and wanted to carryher away from the rest of the world. They say it's getting to be aninteresting ruin by now, though perhaps Alec's aunt might choose topatch the crumbling walls up, if other things suited her. "

"Huh! takes all sorts of freaks to make this world, " grunted Billy. "The idea of anybody actually wanting to bury themselves away uphere, and never see a thing in the way of circus, baseball, winterhockey, Boy Scout rivalries and other good happenings. The old Judgemust have been crazy. "

"Well, lots of people suspected it when he started to build thiscastle, " said Alec, drily. "They felt dead sure after it happened;for hold your breath now, fellows, because to be honest with you therewas a terrible tragedy, and after the poor young wife was buried thejudge lived as much as ten years in an asylum. He had become a maniac, you see, from jealousy of his beautiful wife. "

"I suppose it's all right, since there are four other fellows along, "Billy finally went on to say, "but honest Injun, if I had known allthis at the start, I don't believe I would have been so anxious tocome. I expect that old toothache of mine would have cropped up andkept me home. "

"The walking is good down to the station, Billy, " murmured Alec, "andwe were told that a freight-train would come along around dark thisevening, bound south, which was due to stop at the water-tank"

"That'll be enough for you, Alec, " continued the fat boy, with a certainamount of dignity. "You never knew me to show the white feather, andback down, once I put my shoulder to the wheel. If the rest can standit I ought to be able to do so. "

"Good for you, Billy, " cried Hugh. "Alec here ought to make you anapology. But since we've rested up, and there's still half a mileto tramp, with the afternoon wearing on, suppose we make a fresh start. "

Soon they were trailing along the dimly seen road, which evidentlywas not used to any great extent by the few scattered farmers in thatvicinity. Most of the talk was in connection with the weird mansiontoward which they were heading. Alec was coaxed to relate a numberof other facts he had managed to pick up regarding its romantic history. 

"Look out for signs of a high wall on the left, boys, " he finallytold them. "It may be almost hidden by vines and scrub trees by now, I was warned. It surrounds the whole place, though here and thereit may be broken down. Few people after dark want to pass this placeexcept in a hurry, and although it's only a mile and a half from therailroad, I don't believe tramps ever think of coming here. You see, most of them know the stories told about Randall's Folly, and theysteer clear of the place. "

A short time afterwards Hugh's keen eyes made a discovery. 

"I think the wall you mentioned lies over yonder where all that wildtangle can be seen, " he remarked, whereupon there was a hurried movementin that direction, followed by various exclamations to the effect thatthe scout master's announcement was indeed true. 

"Seems as if the castle must be perched on a high piece of ground, commanding a pretty good view of the country around, " observed Arthur, as they sought for a broken place in the crumbling wall so as to gainan entrance to the grounds beyond. 

"The story goes that Judge Randall built it that way so he could keepwatch, and know if any of his wife's former suitors were heading thisway, " Alec explained. 

"Why, he must have been a regular old Bluebeard!" gurgled Billy. 

"He was demented on that one subject, " confessed Alec, "and the diseasekept getting a stronger grip on him until finally---but hello! here'sthe hole in the wall we wanted to find, so let's crawl over thebroken-down stones and enter. "

"Hold on, " snapped Hugh just then, "I thought you said, Alec, no onewas bold enough to trespass here! If you look down to where I pointyou'll see part of a footprint in mud, showing that a man must havecome across this broken wall not half an hour or so ago!"

CHAPTER II

CREATING A PANIC

When Hugh gave utterance to this really startling announcement, henaturally lowered, his voice. The others came crowding up, and staredat the tell-tale mark. As their scout education had long since passedfar beyond the novice range they had no difficulty in seeing that Hughhad stated the truth. 

"A whopping big foot made that mark, " whispered Billy. 

"And see there, " added Alec, hastily, also in a low tone, "here'sa second one not so big. Two fellows crossed this hole in the wall, and only a short time ago, because the mud is as fresh as it can be. "

That caused the scouts to exchange significant looks. 

"Anyhow, " Billy was heard to whisper to himself, "whoever made thosefootprints was a live human being, and no spook, that's sure. "

The thought evidently did much to relieve his mind, Hugh realized. Alecmeanwhile was shaking his head as though not only puzzled but annoyed. 

"What do you make of it, Hugh?" he asked, like most of the fellowsturning to the scout master when there was a difficult problem to besolved. 

"Oh! there might be several explanations, " replied the other with areassuring smile. "First of all, these fellows may be a couple ofcurious countrymen wanting to take a look around while the sun isstill up, being afraid to come here after night sets in. "

"Yes, go on, Hugh; what next?"

"Then it might be they are men who have heard about the deserted castle, and wonder if they could pick up anything worth carrying off if theyforced an entrance. But there's still another answer to your question, Alec. "

"I can guess what you mean, Hugh. My aunt, it may be, isn't the onlyperson with money to burn who's taken a notion to buy Randall's Folly. Is that what you've got on the tip of your tongue, Hugh?"

"Just what I meant to say, " he was told. "But no matter, if we findthere's a rival in the field, perhaps we might scare him off in someway. That wouldn't be such a hard thing to do, when you've got ahaunted house to work with. "

"Oh! with my trick of throwing my voice, Hugh, " spoke up MonkeyStallings, "I bet you I could play the ghost racket to beat the band. Just give me a try-out and see what I can do, Hugh. "

"Well, first of all, " remarked the scout master, "we had better climbover the break in the wall here, and find the trail of these two unknownmen. After all it may turn out they are simple country jakes wantingto take a peep at the mansion they've heard so many queer storiesabout. "

Accordingly the five scouts hastened to clamber across the gap, a featrequiring little dexterity; though clumsy Billy had to catch his toeamong the stones, and come near pitching headlong down, were it notfor Hugh quickly throwing out his ready arm. 

It required little effort to find the tracks beyond the mass of fallenstones; a mere tyro of a scout could have succeeded in following sucha plain trail, and at that hardly half test his ability along that line. 

Bending partly over, the boys kept diligently at work pursuing thezigzag line of footprints. Evidently the men had picked out the easiestway to advance. They must have either known where they were going, orelse followed a former path that was not overgrown, and partlyconcealed with rank vegetation. 

"Look! there's a glimpse of the castle!" whispered Alec, suddenly. 

Through the openings in the copse beyond they could see the gray wallsrising up ahead. It was an impressive spectacle. The westering sunshone on the tower that had been made to look like some old-time typeEnglish masonry, famous in history, with its portcullis, drawbridge, and surrounding watery ditch known as a "moat. "

After silently inspecting the side of the old building thus presentedto their gaze for a minute or so, the boys began to show their formerrestlessness. 

"The trail keeps right on, Hugh!" whispered Alec, which was as much assaying that he could see no reason for further delay. 

"Listen!" cautioned Arthur. 

"Oh! what did you think you heard?" asked Billy, with a gasp. 

"It must have been voices somewhere ahead of us, " came the answer. "Themen are talking it over, most likely. "

"Debating whether they've got the nerve to go a step further and enterthe haunted castle, " chuckled Alec. "Let's move on, and get a squintat the bold trespassers, Hugh. "

Accordingly once more the whole party started to move ahead, foot byfoot. All the woodcraft they had managed to pick up in previousexploits was brought into play as they crept along softly. 

"Stop!" Hugh gave the low order, finally. 

"I see them, Hugh, " announced Alec, eagerly. 

"Show me where, " begged Billy, pushing himself forward. 

A few seconds later Arthur was heard to say disdainfully:

"Why, it looks to me as if they might be only a pair of Weary Willies, who had wandered up here from tramping the railroad ties. They musthave heard about a fine house lying idle here, and have come to campout for a spell. You can see they've got a chicken dangling by theneck, and some old tomato cans they mean to make coffee in. Whew!but they are a tough looking pair, I tell you. "

Alec looked, and sniffed disdainfully. 

"Here's where we're up against it good and hard, fellows, " he remarked, softly. "The question is, do we want to stand for that couple ofgreasy hoboes keeping us company while we camp out here in the desertedcastle? Everybody say his mind, and majority rules, you know. "

"Excuse me, if you please, " muttered Arthur, with a shudder. "I'dsooner sleep in a pigpen than alongside such human animals as thoseunclean hoboes. "

"Why, " remarked Billy, aghast at the thought, "they might rob us ofour blankets; or worse, of our precious grub, which would be what I'dcall a calamity without equal. "

"We've just got to bounce them, that's plain, " said Monkey Stallings. "Hugh, you remember what you the same as promised me?"

"Oh! if you think you can start something that will rid us of thepair, " the scout master told him, "go to it right away. If you wantus to help, say the word, Monkey. "

Already the other was feverishly attacking his pack, which he hadtossed upon the ground. He soon found what he was looking for, tojudge from the satisfied exclamation that passed his lips. 

"Tell us what you've got there, Monkey, " urged Alec. 

"Yes, that's do, " added Billy, anxiously, "because we want to be onour guard. If it throws a scare into those tramps it might work justas bad with some other fellows I know, unless they were warnedbeforehand. Show your hand, Monkey, please. "

"Oh! shucks! it's only a sort of wild-goose call I tried to makefrom directions I read in a little book, " confessed the ingeniousone. "It don't seem to imitate a wild honker much, but say, I c'nmake the most _unearthly_ sounds come out of this hollow bone youever listened to. Why, it nigh about freezes my own blood when Itry the call in the pitch dark. Now watch and see what happens. "

"Be careful, Monkey, " warned Hugh, as the other prepared to creepaway. "Don't let them glimpse you at any time, or there may be serioustrouble. They look like an ugly couple of customers. I suppose youmean to try and get around on the other side of them?"

"Sure thing, " replied the originator of the scheme, "and if I wereyou, Hugh, I'd make out to hide your bunch, because, believe me, thatpair will come whooping along this way like mad pretty soon. "

"Which is what we'll do right away, Monkey, never fear, " Hugh toldhim. 

Accordingly the four scouts disposed themselves in such fashion thatwhile they would be hidden from view they could at the same time watchwhatever took place, and enjoy the fun, if, by good luck, the schemearranged for the entertainment of the bold hoboes, turned out successful. 

The two ragged wanderers were sitting on the stones bordering theditch or "moat" that surrounded the make-believe ancient castle. They evidently debated as to the advisability of forcing an entranceto the wonderful mansion, and taking up temporary or permanent quartersthere. Perhaps the idea of spending the coming winter under somagnificent a roof, with frequent excursions around the countrysidein search of necessary supplies, engrossed their attention. 

Some little time passed away. The four boys began to show signs ofimpatience, believing that Monkey Stallings must surely by now havegained the place he had in mind when he left them. 

"There, I saw him wave his hand to us from that slit in the stone wallof the tower!" hissed Alec, presently. "He's managed to find a way toget inside after all, and now the fun's going to begin. "

"It's time, too, " added Arthur, "because the hoboes have made up theirminds to try and break into the house. See, that big chump has pickedup a heavy rock, and he acts as if he meant to hurl the same againstthose stout oaken doors. "

Indeed, that was just what happened. The collision, however, onlyresulted in a loud bang, for it would take many hundreds of like blowsto do those stout doors any serious damage. The smaller tramp shookhis head dubiously. 

"Now they are talking it over again, " whispered Alec. "The short oneis pointing as if he believes they can find a much easier way to getinside than trying to smash the door down. Hey! Monkey, better getbusy or you'll find the pair treading close on your heels. "

Hardly had Alec spoken that last low word than a thrilling sound camefloating to the ears of the four listening scouts. None of them couldever describe what it was like; indeed, it seemed to possess a characterall its own, and somehow caused the "goose-flesh" to creep over theirbodies, even though they knew the origin of the uncanny cry. 

The two tramps had jumped back at the first outburst. They seemed tobe staring wildly toward the "donjon tower, " as Alec persisted incalling the round structure at one end of the imitation castle. Louder and louder grew the racket. Billy laid a trembling hand onHugh's arm as though seeking comfort from personal contact with thescout master. 

Presently the pair of hoboes appeared to have reached the limit oftheir endurance. One snatched the dead fowl that had possibly beenstolen from some farmyard on their way up from the railroad; whilethe other hastily gathered the rest of their primitive possessionsin his trembling hands. 

Then, as another fearful burst of strange cries broke forth from thehaunted castle, the two men started wildly on the run. Faster andfaster grew their pace as Monkey blew more furiously on his home-made"goose-call" with telling effect. As they passed the spot where Hughand the other three scouts were lying in concealment, the alarmedpair could be heard giving vent to excited remarks, and some stronglanguage as well, though neither of them seemed to possess the nerveto turn his head and look back so as to find out if they were beingpursued. 

So they went out of sight along the crooked trail they had made inapproaching the deserted mansion; though for several minutes afterwardsthe sound of frequent collisions with trees, and stumbles over hiddenvines proclaimed that their panic showed no signs of abating. 

CHAPTER III

TAKING POSSESSION

"Don't all laugh at once, " cautioned the scout master, knowing that anoutburst was imminent. 

Understanding what was meant, the boys threw themselves down upon theground and gave way to merriment that was none the less overpoweringbecause it had to be indulged in "with the soft pedal on, " as Arthurartfully expressed it. 

While they, were still enjoying themselves in this fashion, MonkeyStallings joined them. He had a huge grin on his rather odd-looking, face, showing that he felt fully satisfied with his recent fine work. 

"Say, did I do the thing up in good style, boys?" he demanded. 

"I should say you did, Monkey!" burst out Billy. "Makes me think ofone of Aesop's fables I used to read ever so long ago, about the lionand the donkey out hunting together. "

"Suppose you tell us about it then, " suggested Arthur, a little wickedly, for he had, in truth, a pretty fair idea concerning its nature. 

"Why, " proceeded Billy, hastily, "it seems they discovered a flock ofgoats in a cave, and the donkey suggested that he disguise himselfwith an old lion skin they found, and go in to scare the goats out, when the lion standing by the exit could kill the game. When he hadhee-hawed and kicked up such a rumpus that the poor goats dashed out, to meet their fate at the exit, the donkey finally came along andproudly asked the lion what he thought of his antics. 'Splendid, 'said the lion, or something like that, and I guess you'd have frightenedme, too, if I hadn't known you were only a donkey!"

Monkey Stallings hardly knew whether that, was intended for a complimentor not, but he laughed because the others did. 

"All the same I had the longest pole that knocked down the persimmons, "he asserted. "I gave that bunch the biggest scare of their lives. The way is clear for us now, and, thank goodness, we won't have tosleep under the same roof with that greasy pair of rascals, and, afterall; that was the end in view. "

"Monkey, " said Arthur, "you've put us all under heavy obligations bywhat you did, and for one I'm not going to forget it, or twit you aboutthe funny noises you manage to coax out of that bone goose-call youmade. The end justifies the means, is what I say every time. Now, what's next on the programme, Hugh?"

"Well, since we've met the enemy and won the fight, " laughed the other, "I should say our best move would be to occupy the abandoned works. Monkey can lead us to where he managed to get into the castle. "

"As easy as falling off a log, " asserted the other, proudly, as becamethe principal actor in the late little "unpleasantness. "

"Besides, " added Alec, impatiently, "we want to take a few picturesinside and out of the old shebang while the sun still hangs high. "

"What's the hurry?" asked Billy, who liked to put off things to amore convenient season whenever he could find half of an excuse; "plentyof time to do all that to-morrow, I should think. "

"'Strike while the iron is hot, ' has always been my motto, " assertedAlec, when, in truth, it was mostly his impatience that hastened hisactions. "How do we know what sort of a day to-morrow may turn out tobe? Suppose a storm came along, how could I get a good picture of thecastle to send my aunt so as to pay for the elegant camera she gave me?"

"Guess you're right there, Alec, " admitted Billy, always ready to ownup when he felt that the argument was going against him. "Besides, it needs plenty of light to get views inside the house, when the windowsare as small and measly as they seem to be here. "

"Oh! as for that, " declared the other, airily, "leave it to me. I'vebeen smart enough to fetch along an entire outfit for taking flashlightpictures; so you see we can get all we want after night comes. "

"You've certainly got a level head on your shoulders, Alec, " venturedArthur, giving the other a slap on the back that was intended forcommendation, though it made the recipient jump, for he had not beenexpecting anything of the sort, and possibly there was that aboutthe air of that haunted mansion which caused all of them to be a bitmore nervous than usual. 

Monkey Stallings led them around to one side of the rambling building. As they went, they were loud in their expressions of amazement andeven delight, for really, it was an impressive sight to the eyes ofAmerican lads not accustomed to crumbling ruins of old-time castles, where doughty knights of the Middle Ages may have fought in tournamentwith lance and sword. 

"Wait up a bit, please, fellows!" suddenly exclaimed Alec. "I couldn'tfind a better view of the castle than right here, with that sun blazingalong the walls, the turrets and that magnificent donjon tower. Iwant every one of you to be in the picture at that, so place yourselvesas I tell you. "

Alec was something of a photographer, and had many good views in abook at home. He fully expected to do wonderful things with thisexpensive outfit, since the lens alone cost three times as much ashis other camera complete. 

When he had snapped off several views he declared himself satisfied. 

"In the morning, if the weather holds good, " he remarked as he gavethem the "high sign" that he was through, and that they need not poseany longer, "I mean to pick up a couple of views from the other side. The morning sun will allow me to do that, you understand. And now, Monkey, where did you climb inside?"

They were soon able to gain the interior after the same manner inwhich the pilot of the exploring expedition had accomplished it. Monkey's sharp eyes had discovered a small opening that might be calleda slit in the solid wall, after the fashion of those to be seen inthe dwellings of Moors and Arabs and Turks. It was easy enough foreach boy in turn to squeeze himself through that slender gap, thoughonce there arose a serious doubt in Billy's mind as to whether hewould not stick fast, and have to be pushed through with a rammer, much to his bodily discomfort. 

Two fellows behind assisted his progress, while the others in advancegave him a helping hand, so that finally Billy gained his end, thoughhe could long afterwards be seen ruefully rubbing his elbows and hipsas though they had been scraped in the passage. 

After that they left their packs in one of the lower apartments, whilethey roamed all through the wonderful interior. Apparently moneyhad not been spared in the erection of an imitation castle, thoughHugh found, in some places where what was supposed to be solid rock, proved to be only wood, skillfully painted to resemble the more lastingmaterial. 

"Whew! it has about forty rooms all told, I should say, " observedthe steaming Billy after they had wearied of wandering about the strangeplace, and came back to the apartment where their blankets and packshad been deposited. 

"Wonder how Aunt Susan will like the blooming old shack?" Alec washeard to say as though some doubt had already commenced to enter hismind. 

"You, said, she wanted it quiet, you know, Alec, " observed Hugh. "I defy any one to find a place that fills that bill better thanthis one. Why, not even the peep of a bird can be heard; it's justa brooding silence that would get on the nerves of most people andmake them shout out loud. "

"Let's hope it stays that way while we're up here, " said Billy, andthen noticing that some of the other fellows were smiling broadlyhe hastened to add: "Oh! it isn't that I really expect anything likea ghost to walk when it comes midnight, you understand, but I don'talways sleep as sound as I would like, and I hate to have anythingscreechy wake me up. So, Monkey, please keep that goose-call of yoursin your pocket the rest of the time. "

"Perhaps, we had better get ourselves comfortably fixed before nightfinds us, " suggested Hugh. "We can make a blaze in that fireplaceand cook supper here as nice as any one would want. It's going toturn out a novel experience for the lot of us. "

"You bet it, will, " asserted Monkey Stallings stoutly. "I alwaysdid think I'd like to spend just one night in a house they said washaunted. To tell you the honest-truth I'm real glad you asked meto come along, Alec, even if there does seem to be a queer feelingrunning up and down my backbone. I never knew the like before savethat time I was dared to walk through the graveyard at midnight, andsome fellows tried to scare me with their old sheets. Huh! I hadmade sure to carry Tige, my bulldog, hid under my coat, and I justlet him loose. It makes me sick with laughing even now when I rememberhow those sillies tore off, with that pup snapping at their legs. "

"I'm glad to notice, " said Billy, just then, "that we can fasten bothdoors to this lower room, if we feel like it. You see, they've gotbolts that can be shot into the sockets. "

"Shucks!" mocked Alec, disdainfully. "What good are locks and barsand bolts when they say a ghost can ooze itself in through a keyholeeven? But then don't get an idea in your head, Billy, we're goingto be bothered by anything except rats. That's the only kind of spooksyou'll find in such a place as this. And after we've had our supperI hope you'll all accompany me while I take some views of the interior, because several of the rooms are going to make dandy pictures. "

So supper was cooked after their customary camp style, only in thisinstance, while the scouts had a roof overhead, and stout stone wallssurrounding them, they missed the whispering of the treetops, as wellas the star-studded sky. 

Afterwards they gladly helped the aspiring photographer while he madegood use of his flashlight apparatus. Alec chose certain apartmentsin which he fancied his wealthy and eccentric aunt would be mostinterested. He also declared himself satisfied in the end that he hadsucceeded in getting some views that ought to turn out "gilt-edged. "

The mansion was unfurnished, so that they had no chance of findingsleeping quarters or beds of any kind above. Whoever now owned theplace had removed all such articles long since, possibly to preventtramps from finding an inducement to lodge in the deserted and lonely, castle. 

However, this was nothing serious to fellows who had camped many atime among the rocks, where they were even debarred from having hemlockbrowse for a soft mattress. 

"We'll try the floor to-night, boys, " said Hugh, as he started tospread his blanket out in regulation style. "If it proves to be toohard for us, perhaps we can put in the second night outdoors somewhere. That will depend on the weather, for we have no tent to keep the rainor snow off, you remember. "

The others hastened to copy his example, for they were all fairlysleepy. Billy told himself that he would very likely lie awake allnightlong, because he felt sure something strange was _bound_ to happento them. He was shrewd enough to arrange his blanket bed directlyin the middle, so that he had a pair of chums on either side of him. If the others noticed this sign of weakness they kindly overlookedit. Perhaps, to tell the truth about it, Monkey Stallings and ArthurCameron were themselves not entirely free from uneasiness, and deepdown in their hearts wished the night well over with. 

Hugh happened to awaken some time afterwards, and as the flames lazilylighted up the big room occasionally, he lay there watching them playupon the wall. So he allowed himself to figure what strange scenesthese same rooms must have witnessed in those bygone days when the oldjudge and his young prisoner wife occupied the monstrosity of animitation feudal castle. 

When Hugh was about to turn over and compose himself to sleep, heheard a peculiar sound that caused his heart to beat much more rapidlythan its wont. He suddenly sat up and listened again. 

CHAPTER IV

SCOUTING AT MIDNIGHT

It was certainly a queer sound that floated to the strained hearing ofthe boy as he crouched there on the floor of the room amidst the foldsof his blanket and listened with might and main. 

There followed a brief period of silence and then he felt a thrill, for it came again, a peculiar whimpering that would have given Billya spasm of fright had he been awake to catch it, instead of calmlysleeping close by. 

"What in the mischief can it be?" whispered Hugh to himself as heallowed his hand to grope around for something he wanted, and whichhe remembered placing conveniently by at the time he prepared hiscrude bed. 

The fire had died down again so that the big apartment on the mainfloor was almost wrapped in darkness. Still, when tiny tongues offlame played at hide-and-seek about the charred log, they caused allsorts of odd shadows to run athwart the walls. 

Hugh gave a grunt of satisfaction when his fingers closed upon theobject he sought. It was only about the size of two fingers, andnickel-plated at that. In fact, Hugh had made himself a trifling-presentlately of a small vestpocket edition of a flashlight, controlled bya battery, and had thought it worth while to carry it along with himon this expedition, though not saying anything about it to the others, thus far. 

"I'm bound to find out what makes that noise, as sure as anythingcan be, " was what the boy was telling himself resolutely, even whilehe crept out from among the folds of the warm blanket endeared tohim by reason of many associations of the past, of which so much hasbeen written in previous volumes. 

That was just like Hugh Hardin. A good many boys would possibly haveconcluded that going wandering about a great imitation castle likeRandall's Folly, after midnight, trying to discover the origin ofstrange sounds, was no business of theirs, and would have cuddleddown closer, even drawing their blanket over their heads in orderthat they might not hear a repetition of the noise. 

Hugh was built on a different order. He knew full well that sleepwith him was entirely out of the question so long as that chillingwhimpering and rustling continued at regular intervals. 

Now Hugh was only a boy, it must be remembered, and many a strongman would have declined committing himself in the way the scout masterintended doing. 

He had listened to all the talk about ghosts carried on by the otherfellows, with more or less interest and amusement, for Hugh refusedto believe in spook manifestations. At the same time he admitted thathis heart was fluttering at a much more rapid gait than customarywhen he started toward one of the doors of the room, using the littleelectric torch to light his way. 

If any one could have read the thoughts that were surging throughthe boy's excited mind, they would perhaps have been found to rangeabout in this manner:

"Ghosts, eh? Well, I've always said there never existed any, andperhaps I'll have a chance right now to prove it, one way or the other. A queer kind of a hobgoblin that must be to keep whimpering like ababy, and then fluttering to beat the band. But what in the wideworld can it all mean? That's what I reckon on finding out, givenhalf a chance. "

He had reached the door by that time. Billy had seen to it that thebolt was shot into its socket before he lay down. More than that, he had even gone to the trouble to fill the keyhole full of crumpledpaper, remembering that jibe on the part of one of his chums to theeffect that spirits can "ooze like smoke" through even such smallapertures. 

Hugh had been wise enough to pick up a handy club before startingforth upon his mission of investigation. He did not anticipate findinga chance to make use of it, but when a man insures his house againstfire he really does not expect it to be burned down. Hugh wantedto be on the safe side, that was all. 

Just at that point the boy, was influenced to turn around and castthe light of his torch upon the forms of his four comrades swathedin their coverings. Not one of them moved, even in the slightestdegree, so that, if Hugh was half contemplating inviting company, hefound no encouragement there. 

Gritting his teeth, the boy calmly drew back the bolt, softly openedthe massive door, slipped boldly through the aperture, and then asdeftly closed the door behind him. 

Standing there in the great hall he listened intently, meanwhile keepinghis light turning this way and that in order to see if anything moved. Perhaps, in the days when Judge Randall lived in his romantic castle, this massive hall had been decorated after the usual custom of feudaltimes. Hugh could easily imagine shining suits of armor standinggrimly in, the corners, like sentries on guard. He had detected markson the walls betraying the fact that at some time they had borne allmanner of relics of long-past age of chivalry, so that the illusionmight be complete. But now they stood there bare and cold, and achilly draught came down from the empty regions above that made theboy shiver. 

Then he heard the strange sounds again. They were clearer now thanbefore. 

"One thing certain, " muttered Hugh, between his set teeth, "whatevermakes that noise it comes from up above. And the thing for me to dois to climb the stairs; so here goes. "

If he felt any hesitation he did not show it as he made his way tothe foot of the broad stairway and commenced mounting, step after step. Always the sounds seemed to grow a little clearer, and this fact toldHugh his scout instinct must be truly leading him directly toward theplace from which they issued. 

He had reached the second floor, and was pushing steadily onward. Several times he stopped short to listen, nor would he make a moveat such intervals unless he had received his clue again. Not oncedid he manifest any weakness in the line of shrugging his shoulders, and saying that it was none of his business if the night air playedpranks by forcing its way through some hole in the wall, with a whineand a gurgle. 

When Hugh once set himself a task it was his nature to carry the thingthrough to the end. He would despise himself if he allowed any weakfear to triumph over his common-sense. 

A brief time later he found himself standing near where he knew oneof the several turrets stood. He remembered now that while they hadinvestigated more or less of the big building, they were forced toskip several portions, leaving them for the next morning's survey;and doubtless this turret chamber must have been in the list of thoseunexplored places. 

"Whatever it may be, " Hugh was telling himself, "the thing making allthat noise is in there! I'll listen once more, and then take a peek. "

When he again heard the gurgling, the fluttering, and the strangewhimpering Hugh had his hand on the door knob. He quickly threw thebarrier open and flashed his light into the chamber. 

Instantly there was a scurry of wings. Queer glowing balls of yellowconnected with obscure, shadowy figures stared at him. The wingswinnowed the air, and again he caught that peculiar whinny. 

Hugh laughed aloud. 

"Why, it's only a family of owls after all, " he said, in great relief, "that's taken up quarters here in this turret, where they can go inand out as they please. Yes, and those things that flapped away musthave been some ugly bats in the bargain, that haven't gone into winterquarters yet. Well, this is a pretty good sell, I must say. I'mglad I made up my mind to find out what that noise was. Now I guessI can go to sleep again. Ghosts! Well, like as not every ghost thatever was heard of would turn out to be as simple a thing as this, ifonly some one had the nerve to investigate. "

He closed the door to the turret chamber. Let the owls and bats havetheir quarters if they wanted to. There was plenty of room in thatgreat castle for himself and chums to sleep without ousting, the happyfamily from their roost. 

So Hugh started down the stairs feeling much lighter of heart thanwhen he had so recently climbed upward. The tension and strain hadbeen removed from his boyish heart, and he was ready to confess thatthings had seemed pretty ticklish at one time, and had required allhis resolution to push ahead. 

He found the right door, and softly opening it made his way into thebig room in which the others were sleeping. While fastening the dooragain Hugh could hear the regular breathing of Billy, and possiblyof the others. 

As he incidentally flashed his light on them before turning in hewas surprised to see Alec Sands sitting bolt upright and watchinghim curiously. Hugh held up a warning finger. He did not want Alecto talk out loud and needlessly awaken all of the other fellows. At the same time he know full well he must give some sort of explanationfor his strange absence. 

"I heard it, too, Hugh, " whispered Alec, with a half grin. "Wokeup and found you gone when I put out my hand to feel your blanket. Then I caught those awful ghoulish sounds somewhere. Wanted to creepafter you, but say, I own up I didn't have the nerve to try it. Sohere I've been sitting, hugging my knees, and listening till I'mshivering as if I had the ague. Now tell me what it is, Hugh, for Ijust know you've found out. "

Hugh chuckled and said:

"Oh! just a family that has squatted down on these premises, and hatesto be evicted in case your rich aunt, or anybody else, buys the same!"

"Come off, Hugh; don't try to muddle me all up like that, when I'mdying to know what could make such awful sounds. What kind of a familyis it?"

"Owls, with a few big bats thrown in for good measure, " explained Hugh. "They've taken up their quarters in one of the turret chambers whereslits in the walls allow them to go and come as they please. "

"You woke up and heard that gibberish, didn't you, Hugh? And youmade up your mind on the spot that you just had to find out what itmeant? It's like you to do such a thing! But, Hugh, why didn't youlet me in on it? I'd have been glad to keep you company, sure I would. "

"I knew that, Alec, " apologized the other, yawning as he began tocreep under his blanket again, "but all of you seemed to be soundasleep, and I hated to wake anybody up. Besides---well, I just feltlike going it alone, you see. "

"Of all the nerve, you've got it to beat the band, " commented Alec. "I thought I could stand for a good deal, but let me tell you I drawthe line at creeping upstairs in this spooky old castle, andinvestigating such a fierce noise as that. Listen, will you, they'reat it again, Hugh? Why, if Billy woke up and heard that he'd throwa fit. "

"Then we want to quit talking and not wake him, " cautioned the scoutmaster, as he gathered the folds of his covering about him, much asa soldier of olden times might wrap his martial cloak around his bodywhile settling down calmly to sleep on the battlefield. 

Alec was chuckling as though something amused him. 

"Tell you what, " he presently whispered, as a last thought, "if myAunt Susan is as dead set for silence as she says, those noisy owlsare going to vacate their snug quarters up there in a hurry. Ihonestly believe, Hugh, this lonely old curiosity of a castle is goingto please my queer relative a whole lot. The chances are she'll plankdown the money to buy Randall's Folly when she gets my report, accompanied by the pictures I'm taking. Well, here goes for anothernap, hoping the Owl family will settle down and not disturb us againto-night. "

CHAPTER V

A STARTLING SURPRISE

"Hello! Is it safe to come out; and is the coast clear of ghosts?"

That was Billy addressing Hugh on the following morning, the scoutmaster, as well as Alec Sands and Arthur Cameron, being up and around. They looked at Billy poking his head out from amidst the folds ofhis capacious red-and-black striped blanket, and laughed, for somehowhe reminded them of a cautious old tortoise trying to spy out theland before entrusting his flippers beyond the confines of his shell. 

"Nothing doing in the ghost line, Billy, " Hugh told him, "so you canstretch yourself as much as you please. Hurry up a little! Alec herewas just suggesting that as the morning looks so fine we might as wellgo outside and build a cooking fire under the trees for a change"

Billy thereupon threw the blanket aside and hopped to his feet. 

"When you say anything about _eating_, " he observed as he started tofinish his dressing with feverish haste, "seems like my whole systemresponds. Alec, I want to tell you the idea isn't half bad either. Dining in this musty old room seems too much as if we were still athome, you know. Nothing like being under the trees when you're takingan outing. I haven't got any gypsy blood in me that I know of, but Ido like the big outdoors a heap, better than anything elsegoing---that is, except eating. "

Monkey Stallings was by this time also awake and fixing himself to defythe chilly morning atmosphere. 

They abandoned the castle, taking their belongings with them. At thetime it was looked upon only as a little incident, and no one dreamedthat afterwards they would find themselves very thankful for havingdone this very thing. 

Back of the building the trees grew thickly, and it did not take thescouts long to discover a very good location for a temporary camp, where they could build a fire and cook breakfast. 

"Another thing, " said Alec, "if the weather holds good I'm going tosuggest that we hunt a place back there, half a mile, perhaps, awayfrom the castle, to spend the night in. Like Billy here, I don'tfancy sleeping under a roof when I can have a chance to camp out underthe stars and hear the whispering of the trees. "

The others were quick to seize upon the idea. 

"It's our only chance to sleep out, " said the Stallings boy, "becausewe've got to make tracks to-morrow afternoon, you remember. "

"I should say that Alec ought to be able to take all the pictures heneeds of this old rookery this morning, " remarked Arthur. "As for me, I've seen all I want of the place. It makes me feel sad, because Ican't help thinking of what happened up here so long ago. It was acrazy man's scheme to start with, and then there was the terribletragedy that happened later on. Ugh! let's climb out right now. "

So they built a nice cooking fire, and started to get breakfast. Itwas while they discussed the morning meal with the eagerness thatboys' healthy appetites alone can display, that Billy asked a leadingquestion. 

"I forgot to ask if anybody heard a ghost laugh in the night?" hedemanded. "Once I happened to wake up, and imagined I could hearsomebody laughing away off in the distance; but say, I only pulledmy head further under my blanket, and went to sleep again just likean innocent little babe. How about that, Hugh, Alec, and the rest?Was there anything doing?"

This was the time for Alec to tell about the little adventure Hughhad met with. Billy's eyes grew round with wonder and awe as thestory proceeded, and seeing this, Alec did his best to keep up theinterest at fever heat to the point where Hugh burst into the hauntedturret chamber, and made the discovery that it was tenanted by a familyof owls, and some bats. 

"Gee whiz!" ejaculated Billy, heaving a great sigh of relief, "Ihonestly began to believe you meant to tell us that turret-tower roomwas the place where the tragedy happened, and that Hugh had watchedit all being repeated over again. Owls, hey? Well, they're an innocentlot when you get acquainted with 'em. All the same, let me tell youI'm glad we expect to sleep outdoors to-night. "

"When we get through breakfast, boys, " suggested Arthur, greatlyinterested in what he had just heard, "let's all go up and beintroduced to Hugh's pets, if they haven't vamoosed the ranch. Ialways did like to watch owls stare at you with their big yellow eyes;but you want to keep away, for they've got wicked beaks, and can takea piece of skin off your hand as easy as anything. "

Accordingly this programme was carried out. The visit to the turretchamber was not as productive of results as some of the boys mighthave wished, for most of the owls and bats went scurrying forth throughthe slits in the wall as soon as the door was opened, despite thegarish light of day which they were supposed to dislike. Still, enoughwere seen to satisfy Billy the story had been no "fake. "

Alec said he was disappointed because he could not take a picture ofthe whole outfit; though not necessarily for the benefit of his richaunt. 

"But the sun seems just about right for the several exposures I wantto make of the southeastern side of the castle, " he told them, "solet's climb down out of this and get busy. "

"I'll tell you what I think, " ventured Billy as they were making foroutdoors once more. "Like as not that same family of owls has beenresponsible for a lot of that silly talk about this place being haunted. People imagine all sorts of things, you know, when they don't understandqueer sounds. "

"Yes, " retorted Alec, with a chuckle, "that's so, they do, Billy; andI've known them to pull their heads under blankets. It's all verywell for you to talk so bravely when the sun's shining overhead; buteverybody knows how different things look and seem at midnight. We'llforgive you this time, Billy, because the rest of us, all but Hughperhaps, were in something of the same boat, I'm afraid. "

The photographic work went on apace, and as Alec had in times pastproven his abilities in this line, he was apparently justified inbelieving that success was going to crown his present efforts. 

"I tell you Aunt Susan will be tickled half to death when she getsprints of these pictures, " he remarked again and again as he worked, never missing a single object that he considered would lend additionalenchantment to the views. "I ought to consider myself mighty luckyto be presented with such a dandy camera as this. I've made sureto fetch my daylight developing tank along with me, because if anyof the exposures turn out to be poor ones I'll have another chanceto duplicate the same tomorrow morning, even if it is Sunday. "

"So far, " observed Monkey Stallings, with a chuckle of satisfaction, "there isn't any sign of those two hoboes turning up here again---whichpleases me a heap, let me tell you. "

"Oh! no danger of them coming back again, " Billy assured him. "Theygot the scare of their lives when you tooted that goose-call. Longbefore now that brace of tramps has struck the railroad ties, and aremaking tracks for other regions where they don't have old castleshaunted by spooks. "

The last picture was finally taken. Alec seemed satisfied with what hehad done. 

"I've got two rolls of film left, " he explained, "which I'm going tohold for an emergency. You never know what may happen when you'retaking pictures. Something is apt to come along that you would give aheap to get, and if you're out of films you feel like kicking yourself. "

"You've got a long head on your shoulders, Alec, " commented Arthur. "I guess you must believe in the old saying that 'an ounce of preventionis better than a pound of cure. '"

"Also, " added Billy drily, "that in times of plenty it's wise to layin a stock against the dry spell that's coming. I've been there myself, and ought to know what it means to go hungry just because you've beencareless. That's one reason I always try to put in a spoonful ofcoffee for every fellow, and then add one for the pot. "

That was always the way with Billy; he seemed to view almost everysubject as inevitably connected with the one absorbing idea of supplyand demand. By this time these good chums of his knew his weaknessso well that they generally let such allusions pass unnoticed. 

"How would it do for us to root around a bit while we have the time?"ventured Monkey Stallings, who liked to investigate better than anythingelse, except in an old mansion where the dust of years had settled, andthere were uncanny things to be run across. 

"If you mean, " Hugh told him, "we might move around some, and look forthat place where we want to make our camp for the rest of our stay uphere, I'd say it was a good idea. "

"Of course, " supplemented Arthur, "we could move back to the castlelate this afternoon if the weather turned out bad, and a stormthreatened, which, according to all the known signs, isn't going to bethe case. "

"Glad to hear you say that, old weather bureau prophet, " laughed Alec;for the scout who had just made that bold assertion had long beenlooked up to as an authority on the subject of changes of the weather, and could reel off a dozen reasons for the prediction he was making, all founded on a good sensible basis. 

Accordingly they all started forth, having deposited most of theirbelongings in a good hiding-place where they would be perfectly safe. Since there had been no attempt to clean up the grounds surroundingthe wonderful "castle" after its abandonment, Some ten years or sobefore, of necessity they had gone back to their original, wild condition. Nature always seeks to hide the cruel gashes made by the hands ofman, covering the wound with all manner of growth from trailing vinesto young saplings, brush and weeds. 

Passing through a dense wilderness of this newer growth, the scoutspushed on into the heavier woods. Here they found things much more totheir way of looking at it. Indeed, with the stately forest treesrising up all around them, and shutting out that queer building on thepoint of land overlooking the broad valley beyond, it seemed an idealspot for making a camp. 

They were not long in deciding on where they would stay, and two ofthe fellows, Alec and Monkey Stallings, were dispatched back to carrytheir personal belongings to the new site. Alec was anxious to getto work developing some of the rolls of films he had taken, in theexpectation of making good any failures. 

By ten o'clock everything had been gathered in the new camp, which wassituated not much more than a quarter of a mile away from the desertedmansion. The boys believed they could already call their mission asuccess; and after Alec had been heard from in connection with hisphotographic work, this would be set down as a certainty. 

"Listen!" called out Monkey Stallings about this time, for he happenedto have remarkable hearing. "Seemed to me that was some one talkingover yonder. "

"Mebbe the tramps have come back after all, " exclaimed Billy lookingstartled. "You know they always say a bad penny is sure to turn upagain. "

"Better look for some good handy clubs, I say, " observed Alec, pouncingon just such a stout stick as he had in his mind's eye when speaking. 

"Whoever it is coming, " remarked Hugh, uneasily, "we'll soon know theworst, for I can see them through the bushes there. They know we'rehere in the bargain, because they're making straight for this place. "

The scout master had hardly finished saying this when two men dressedin gray uniforms and carrying guns suddenly stepped out of the bushes, one calling aloud:

"Hold up your hands there, every one of you, and don't try to run, orit will be the worse for you. We've tracked you up here, and you'reunder arrest. Steady now!"

CHAPTER VI

GUESTS AT THE CAMP FIRE

"Do what he says, fellows!" urged Hugh, sensibly, at the same timeelevating both hands above his head, in which ludicrous feat he wasspeedily imitated by his four chums. 

The two armed men continued to advance cautiously toward the scouts. At the same time it could be seen that they appeared more or lesssurprised on account of discovering that it was a parcel of fairlywell grown boys whom they were making prisoners. 

"Is this a joke?" asked Alec Sands, with a tinge of a sneer in hisvoice. "If so I want to say it's in pretty bad taste, don't you know. "

"You'll find it a serious kind of a joke, young fellow, " snarled oneof the two men in uniform, who seemed to be huffed over something, perhaps the scratches he had received in plenty where the brambleshad scraped his face. 

"Perhaps you'll be kind enough to explain what we're being held upthis way for?" asked Hugh, as pleasantly as he could, for he realizedthat these men must represent some sort of authority, and in allprobability were laboring under a misapprehension. 

"Who are you all, anyway?" demanded the taller of the two men, and Hughsaw that he had better address himself to this person, since he seemedto be the more even-tempered of the pair. 

"Our suits ought to tell you that, " Alec managed to snap out, notfancying the idea of being forced to keep his hands elevated in sucha fashion, just as though he might be a miserable criminal trying toescape from the penitentiary. 

"We are Boy Scouts, " said Hugh, hastily, seeing the men frown at Alec'simpatient remark. "We belong in Oakvale, and have come up here tospend a couple of days camping out. Besides that one of us has beencommissioned to take some pictures of an old deserted mansion not faraway from here, which his aunt in the city is expecting to buy, ifhis report turns out favorable. That's the whole story, I give youmy word of honor, sir. "

The tall man looked straight into Hugh's face. What he saw thereseemed to impress him very favorably, for the expression of distrustquickly faded from his own countenance, and a friendly smile beganto take its place. 

"I reckon we've been and made a mistake this time, Pete, " he said, turning to his companion. "These young chaps don't look like they'dhave a hand in trying to get a crazy man free, after the law had shuthim up in an asylum!"

"What's that you say?" exclaimed Arthur, while Billy's eyes werelike small editions of saucers, in so far as being round was concerned. 

"We belong at the State Asylum for the Criminal Insane, " explainedthe taller man, whom Hugh now understood must be a guard. "There wasa notorious party shut up there, and he managed to escape by the aidof his money and the help of some friends outside. Men are searchingthe whole country over for signs of him. We got a clue that he mightbe found up here in this region, and that he was being taken careof in a camp, until such time as he could cross the line into Canada. "

"Can we lower our hands now, friend?" asked Hugh, seeing that Billyfor one was getting very red in the face with the exertion ofstretching upward so long. 

"I guess you don't none of you look very dangerous, " he was told, "so drop back as you please. We can't take chances, you understand, so we'll ask you to produce proofs that you're what you claim. Thenif everything is O. K. P'raps now you might invite a couple of hungryand tired guards to hang around a while until you rustled up a bitof grub, and a cup of hot coffee which would go straight to the spot, for we haven't had a thing to eat since last night. "

"Oh! that's really too bad!" exclaimed Billy, immediately sympathizingwith any one who knew, the pangs of hunger. "Sure, we'll invite youto stay with us to lunch. Luckily my policy of always providing alittle extra will come in handy, for we can fit you out with a prettyfair meal. "

Even the shorter guard grinned on hearing this. He seemed to havequite lost the feeling of suspicion he had at first entertained towardHugh and his chums. In fact, he even stood his repeating rifle upagainst the tree nearest him, and seemed bent on taking things easy. 

Hugh was pleased because the adventure had after all turned out soharmless. He had been a little startled when the demand was firstmade that they should surrender, and mention made of the startlingfact that they must consider themselves under arrest. 

Every one busied himself in gathering wood, and making preparationsfor building a fire, even though, under ordinary conditions the boysmight not have started in to cook for some time to come. Billy, however, seemed to consider it always in order to think of such animportant subject as "preserving life"; for that was what he waspleased to call eating. No one ever heard a groan or complaint fromBilly when the order was given to prepare a meal; if the occurrencehappened six times a day he would have shown up smiling and hungry oneach and every occasion. 

The taller guard became more and more friendly as he watched thesepreparations going on. He also asked numerous questions concerningHugh and his chums. 

"Now that I think of it, " he remarked presently, "it strikes me I readsomething about a batch of Oakvale scouts that helped the people overin Lawrence when they had that big flood there. Are you some of thatlot, boys?"

"Several of us were there, and had great times, I assure you, " Hughmodestly replied, nor did he offer to enter into any particulars ofwhat had happened in the imperiled town at the time of their visit, though those boys from Oakvale had certainly earned the medals theyproudly wore for saving life at the risk of their own on that specialoccasion. 

"Why, yes, " the shorter guard now remarked, "and when I went downhome last week in Chester they were talking about how some scoutshad helped fight the forest fires over Oakvale way. Mebbe now youchaps had a hand in that game, too?"

For answer Billy thrust out his left hand before the man's eyes. 

"See that red scar on the back of my hand?" he asked. "Well, I gotthat up there fighting the fire on the mountain that was trying towipe out the home of Mrs. Heffner, a widow. "

"Good for you, Billy!" exclaimed the taller guard, for by now they hadcome to know the scouts by their several names, feeling quite at homein the temporary camp. "I'd like to wager that there must have beensome tall doings when _you_ got busy with the water pails. I've beenon the same line myself, and know what it means to fight a forestfire with the wind a-blowin' it right along, spite of all you can doto stop it. "

"About this crazy man you were speaking about, " observed Alec, asthough a sudden suspicion might have struck him, "it doesn't happenthat his name could be Randall, Judge Anson Randall, does it?"

"Oh! what if it should turn out that way?" gasped Billy, as hecomprehended the nature of the idea that must have flashed throughthe other's mind. 

The tall guard, however, shook his head in the negative. 

"That isn't his name at all, " he told them. "This man did somethingterrible, and his money hired the best lawyers in the country to defendhim. In the end he was called insane, and sent to the asylum. Thenhis folks tried every way they knew how to get him free. At last ascheme was hatched up so he could make a break for liberty. Well, their plans have succeeded. He's escaped. They're searching forhim all over the country up here. But I reckon, because their planshave been laid so carefully, all our efforts to catch the conspiratorswill be in vain. "

"Money talks!" said Alec, laconically. 

"Well, it talks pretty loud in a case like this, " the man added. 

When the meal was ready they all sat around to enjoy it. Billy inparticular seemed very much taken with the idea that they had company. 

"We've known some queer happenings in our camping out experiences, fellows, " he told the others, as they started in to dispose of theimmense amount of food the generous fat scout had cooked. "This isthe first time, however, we've had for guests a couple of gentlemenguards from the State Asylum for the Criminal Insane. I'm glad tosee you are enjoying my little snack, thrown together in so hastya manner. "

"Well, me and my side partner, " commented the taller guard, with awink at his companion, "wouldn't mind if a prisoner managed to breakaway every day in the week if we could be sure of getting such a finetreat as this, eh, Pete?"

Pete declared that he could truthfully echo that assertion, thoughhis mouth being so full at the time he could hardly more than mumblehis sentiments. 

The two men did full justice to the meal, and then announced that, muchto their everlasting regret, they felt compelled to bid the friendlyscouts good-bye, though they would like nothing better than stayingover the night with them. 

It was hardly full noon when they took their departure, waving a farewellfrom the edge of the thick brush before plunging into the same. Theyhad another clue that was worth following up, for those who were fortunateenough to recapture the escaped prisoner would be in line to receivesome satisfying sort of reward, either in the shape of money, or abetterment in their condition of employment at the asylum. 

"Well, they're gone!" remarked Alec, as he busied himself with hisdevelopment tank, anxious to find out how his films were going toturnout. 

Billy heaved a sigh that seemed to come from the soles of his feet. 

"To tell the honest truth, " he admitted, "I ain't sorry a bit. Thosefellows could give me points about how to stow stuff away, and thennot half try. Why, they acted as if they were hollow clean down totheir shoes. I guess they told the truth when they said they hadn'thad a bite of breakfast this morning. "

"But, Billy, " interposed Arthur, "I thought you loved to see people eatheartily all the time? We've always believed you were the mosthospitable fellow going. "

"Huh! I used to think the same, " grunted Billy, scratching his head, "but then you know there's such a thing as piling on the agony. Thosefellows weren't just hungry men---they were cannibals, regular humangraveyards, I should say, by the way the stuff disappeared down theirthroats. If they drop around again to-night I reckon our stock ofgrub will be lowered so much we'll all of us have to go on half rationsthe rest of the time we stay here---something I don't look forwardto with much joy. "

"Don't worry, Billy, " Hugh told him. "They said they would be milesaway long before night set in. The country is safe, and we're notlikely to starve. "

Alec interrupted the conversation to call out exultantly:

"Oh! this first roll is coming along dandy, let me tell you! It'sgoing to be the best thing I ever did; and my stars, but that lensdoes cut fine! It was a lucky day for me when Aunt Susan got trackof this old castle up here in the woods, for it's given me a regularjewel of a camera outfit. "

Every one felt pleased on hearing this, since it would save Alec thetrouble of snapping the pictures over again. 

Billy was taking things easy after getting up the midday meal, as hefelt he had earned a rest. At the same time the fat scout's mind wasbusily employed. 

"I was just thinking, " he finally broke out with, "what a lot of queerthings have happened to us since we came up here. I wonder what we'llstrike next. We've rubbed up against raiding tramps, mewing owls, ghosts in the night, and guards hunting for an escaped insane criminal. Besides, there are still a few more hours left for a new batch ofexciting happenings. I tell you, boys, this little side trip proposedby Alec and engineered by Hugh bids fair to equal anything we've enduredin our whole checkered career. "

CHAPTER VII

FACED BY A MYSTERY

To tell the truth, Hugh was thinking something along those same lineshimself, so that he felt in a mood to quite agree with the enthusiasticBilly. 

"Take it all in all, " he remarked, reflectively, "we're one of theluckiest lot of scouts that ever wandered down the pike. Most fellowsexperience a regular rut, and never run up against anything out of theway. But I have to shake myself very time I look back over our calendar, for fear it's only a dream. "

"We certainly have had more than our share of things happening to us, "admitted Alec, proudly, "but the wheel of the mill will never runagain with the water that is past. So I forget the things that aregone, and keep looking hopefully forward to other glorious events thatlie waiting for us in the dim future. "

"Hear! hear!" exclaimed Billy, clapping his hands, "Alec is gettingquite poetical these days. "

"I only hope, " continued the other, with a gleam of satisfaction inhis eyes, for one of Alec's weak spots was a love of flattery, "thatour latest venture will turn out just as successful as many othershave done before it. "

"No reason that I can see why it shouldn't, " spoke up Arthur Cameron. "We've run across the lonely castle your aunt is negotiating for, andit seems to fill the bill to a dot. "

"Yes, " remarked Monkey Stallings, anxious to have a hand in thediscussion, "and your pictures, you tell us, are turning out dandiesat that. You ought to be as happy as a clam at high tide, as theysay, though I never asked one of the bivalves just why he felt thatway. "

"Oh, I am!" declared Alec; "and I reckon the chances are three to oneAunt Susan is going to enjoy this delightful quiet up here, where noteven the squawk of a crow, or the, crow of a squawking rooster can beheard the livelong day. Still, somehow I seem to feel a queer senseof oppression bearing down on me. I hope now it isn't a bad omen ofcoming trouble, and that, after all, my rich aunt is doomed to loseout in the deal for Castle Randall. "

The others laughed at the idea. 

"Why, it's a cinch for your side, Alec, " said Hugh. 

"The owner of this ancient and half-ruined pile of stone and make-believerocks, " Arthur told the doubter, "couldn't find a purchaser in a coon'sage. Who would ever want to come away up here to bury themselves fromcivilization, and in such a silly old rookery as this? Well, it was onechance in a thousand that a nervous wreck like your aunt heard of it. "

"Don't worry, Alec, you've got a snap, believe me, " chuckled Stallings;and then unable to longer resist a certain alluring limb which he hadbeen eying longingly for some little time, he bolted up the trunk ofthe overspreading tree, to hang by his toes, and swing daringly to andfro as some of them had seen a yellow-headed, green-bodied poll-parrotdo from his perch. 

Alec continued his work, and from time to time announced that everyroll was indeed turning out superbly. No one had ever seen him quiteso happy. The possession of a lens that did better work than anythinghe had ever known in all his experience was enough in itself to makehis boyish heart thrill with joy. And then the singular character ofthe film subjects added to the sense of satisfaction, for they weresure to enhance the attractiveness of his collection, as well asplease Aunt Susan immensely. 

It must have been about one o'clock when the boys received their firstrude shock. Hugh had just been thinking of giving orders for anotherwalk in the direction of the deserted building about a quarter of amile away. Alec had finished his work and had the well-developedfilms hanging to dry, securely fastened to his stout cord with snapclothes-pins, so there was no danger of any unfortunate catastrophehappening to them before they were thoroughly dry. 

"Listen, will you?" suddenly exclaimed Monkey Stallings, sitting boltupright, and raising one hand impressively. 

"Oh, my stars! what do you call that?" gurgled Billy. From themanner in which the color deserted his ruddy cheeks one might haveimagined he feared they were about to be attacked by a host of savagepirates bent on plunder. 

Alec and Arthur could also be seen to stare vacantly at the distancewhile they strained their ears to listen. As for Hugh himself hefound it hard to believe his senses, for the absolute quiet and deadcalm brooding all day long over that retired spot in the wildernesshad been rudely shattered by a most astonishing noise as of many hoarsevoices, making a jumble and roar of sound unlike anything save theconfusion of battle. 

It rose, it died away again, and then once more swelled to an amazingextent, after which it finally stopped as suddenly as it had begun. 

Five scouts stared at each other. Billy rubbed his eyes as though hereally began to believe he must be asleep, and passing through a vividdream bordering on the nightmare. 

"Hugh! what can it be?" demanded Alec, a bit pale with sudden excitement, for which in truth he could not be at all blamed under the circumstances. 

For once the scout master seemed puzzled himself. He shook his headin a way that brought new consternation to the heart of Billy Worth. 

"You've got me up against a hard proposition when you ask me that, Alec!"was what Hugh declared. 

"Then you can't even give a guess, can you, Hugh?" Billy besought him. 

"We all heard the racket, that's sure, " muttered Stallings, as thoughhe had possibly begun to suspect he might be a victim of some delusion, and wished to make certain the others were in the same boat as himself. 

"And it sounded just like a dozen, yes, three dozen men shouting likeanything, " Arthur assured him. 

"I wonder-----" began Billy, starting up eagerly. 

"If you've got an idea hurry and tell us what it is!" urged the impatientAlec. "I'll be hanged if I can grapple anything, it's given me sucha bad shock. "

"Go on, Billy!" added Arthur. 

"Why, " explained the fat scout, "you see, I was thinking that p'r'apsthose tramps we scared off had come back with a big bunch of theirkind, meaning to take possession of the castle. Now, you needn'tall jump on me and say that's silly, because I happen to know thosehoboes often gather in regular armies about this time of year, headingfor the cities. Hugh, it isn't such a bad idea, after all, is it?"

"Since none of us seem able to think of any other explanation, " thescout master told him, reassuringly, "it will have to stand until wecan strike on a better. It seems to me the sooner we hike over thatway the quicker we'll learn the real facts. "

"True enough, Hugh, " assented Alec, readily, while the others showedby their actions that they were perfectly willing to make the start. 

Their preparations for leaving their camp were few and simple. Whatfood they had left was thrust up in the crotch of a big tree, so thatit might not be carried off by any wandering wild animal, though theyhad no reason to believe there was anything larger than a 'coon' ora 'possum' around that region. The blankets and a few other thingsof value were also placed in safety, while Alec again tested the supportsof his "clothes line" on which those precious films were strung to dry. 

"I hate to leave them, " he told the others, mournfully, "but now thatthey're wet and sticky they can't be packed away. I almost wish Ihadn't been in such a hurry to develop them. "

He stared at Billy as though almost tempted to beg that worthy to staybehind and protect the films by his presence, which Billy absolutelyrefused to do, rightly interpreting the look. 

"Not on your life, Alec, much as I would like to oblige you!" assertedthe fat scout, positively. "I want company when there's all sorts ofstrange things happening around. You don't catch me sticking to thiscamp by my lonely. Stay back yourself if somebody has just got to holdthe fort. My duty lies in the front rank. History tells that theWorths were always found in the van when danger loomed up. Sorry notto oblige you, Alec, but it's simply impossible. William Worth willsink or swim with his comrades. "

As Alec could not think of staying back when the rest were bent onlearning the secret of all that terrible clamor of human voices raisedin angry shouts and whoops, he took his place alongside Hugh, andthey all started forth. 

"One thing sure, to begin with, " remarked Hugh, after they had leftthe camp behind them, "we're a unit in saying that racket came fromwhere we happen to know the old castle lies. "

"Oh! that's an easy nut to crack!" declared Monkey Stallings. "Thesounds came right down the wind, and any one can see it's blowingsoftly straight from the haunted mansion. "

"We might guess that the ghosts were having a hop all by themselves, "ventured Billy, "only you know they say spirits never show themselvesin the daytime. Anyway, those whoops were more like wild Injuns onthe warpath than just spooks. "

"Well, as we don't happen to have any Indians left in this regionnowadays, " added Hugh, drily, "we can put that explanation down asimpossible. But we'll know more about it before three minutes morehave passed, because, unless I miss my guess, we can glimpse the castlewhen we strike that rock yonder. I remember taking a look back aswe came along, so as to impress distances and direction on my mind, and could see the whole structure looming up. "

"Whee! listen again, will you?" exclaimed Billy, aghast. 

The strange noise had again broken out. They could hear many huskyvoices shouting in unison, and, besides, there were other odd soundssuch as might be made by a small army of desperate assailants beatingwildly against that stout door of the lonely castle. 

No wonder the five boys stared at one another, with vacant looks ontheir several faces. It would have puzzled smarter people than theypretended to be to analyze such a remarkable jumble of noises as theirears now caught. 

Hugh would not let them stop for a second. Indeed, if anything, hehurried them along faster than ever, as though fully determined tohave the mystery cleared up without further loss of time. If Billy'sfootsteps were inclined to make him linger behind his mates he bestirredhimself to assume a faster gait, for at such a critical moment the fatscout did not wish to find himself left in the lurch. 

The horrid din continued as they hurried forward. If anything it grewmore and more maddening, causing the boys to shiver with mingledimpatience and alarm. 

Now they were close on the rock mentioned by Hugh. In another tenseconds they would be able to at least see the walls of the grim castlein the near distance. Billy wondered whether, after all, they mightnot discover that there was not the slightest sign of a living humanbeing in sight. He was rapidly coming to believe there might be somethingghostly about these sounds. Billy was just then in a fit conditionto believe anything, no matter how absurd, for his poor heart wasfluttering in his manly bosom just as you have doubtless felt thetiny organ of a bird throb when you held the frightened thing in yourhand. 

They all kept in a bunch, and thus arrived at the rock at the sametime. Every scout came to a sudden stop. Their eyes, dilated withamazement, were turned toward the region where those sounds stillwelled forth, shouts and blows and shrieks making a conglomerationthat was simply appalling. So stunned were Hugh and his mates thatfor a brief time their tongues clove to the roofs of their mouths. 

CHAPTER VIII

AS IN THE DAYS OF CHIVALRY

"W-what's it all mean, Hugh?" Billy was gasping, as he stood there withquaking knees, and just stared and stared. 

Indeed, for the moment Hugh could not have answered him, he was himselfso busily engaged in looking. There was good and sufficient reason forthe eyes of every one being glued on the remarkable sight taking placebefore them, for surely such an amazing spectacle had never beforebeen witnessed in America, nor indeed for some hundreds of years evenin the old country. 

The castle was no longer given over to the owls and bats and rats. Itnow seemed to be fairly swarming with moving figures, and such figures!Hugh blinked, and took a second look before he could actually believehis eyes. 

Why, there were horses clad in all the panoply of the fourteenth century, on the backs of which sat knights in shining armor, with long lances, and great two-handed swords for their weapons, and waving plumes danglingfrom their helmets. Men with bare legs and all manner of weird apparelwere attacking the castle, using clubs, rocks, and queer arrangementsfor casting missiles; some of them were climbing short scaling laddersonly to be rudely hurled down again by some of the valiant defenderswho manned the top of the walls. 

The drawbridge had been raised, and the portcullis protected the door, but the gallant assailants had apparently thrown a bridge hastilyconstructed across the moat, and they were certainly as busy as a hiveof bees that had struck a mine of sugar. 

It was a wonderful scene, and the five scouts could hardly be blamedfor thinking they must be dreaming, everything was so unreal, so likea page torn from history in the times of the Crusaders. 

Perhaps one or more of them began to believe that a host of spiritsbelonging to ancient worthies, long since dead, while passing by hadrecognized in the make-believe castle such a wonderful copy of somethingthey had known in life that they were tempted to stop and play theirparts again with all this gusto and confusion. 

If this were the case, however, Hugh quickly disillusioned the rest ofthe group. His quick eye had found an explanation for all thisremarkable happening. 

"Well, I declare, who would ever have believed it?" they heard himsaying, for again the riot was beginning to die out, men were brushingthemselves off, while a few others, less fortunate than their companions, were being pulled out of the moat surrounding the castle, which evidentlyheld some water, for they appeared to be dripping wet, though takingit all in good part. 

"What have you guessed, Hugh?" demanded Arthur, knowing from themanner of the scout master that he had apparently solved the mystery. 

Hugh was laughing now. The strained look had passed from his youngface. It seemed to him like a jump from the sublime to the ridiculous. 

"If you fellows will look over to one side to where that man was turningthe handle of some sort of box just as if he might be an organ grinder, you'll guess what it all means, " Hugh told them, pointing as he spoke. 

Cries of wonder and comprehension immediately arose from Alec andArthur, though even then Billy and Stallings did not seem to fullygrasp the facts. 

"Motion-picture actors at work!" exclaimed Alec. 

"Oh! did you ever hear of such a thing?" gurgled Billy, at the sametime beginning to lose the haunted look on his face. 

"Sure thing!" added Arthur, grinning now. "That chap is the cameraman---what is it they call it, a cinematoscope or something that way. He's been grinding like mad while all that battle on the walls wastaking place. And I can see him laughing from here, as if that lastscrap pleased him a whole lot. "

"Well, if that don't beat everything!" said Monkey Stallings, inmingled awe and delight. "To think of a company finding out aboutthat queer old imitation castle, and coming all the way up here so asto stage one of their Shakespeare plays around it!"

"And look at all the actors they've gone and fetched along with them, will you?" Billy went on to say. "Why, there must be scores of menand women there, all dressed in fancy costumes. Gee! it must cost_rafts_ of money to stage just one of those dramas. "

"Oh!" said Hugh; "expense doesn't seem to enter into their calculationswhen they think they've got something that will go. A thousand peoplehave been used in, one play, I've read, and as much as two hundredthousand dollars spent on it!"

"Say, here's our same old luck come along again, fellows!" declaredArthur, as though it gave him a tremendous amount of satisfactionto realize it. "I've always had a sort of hankering after a chanceto learn just how these queer people managed when staging one of theirplays, and as sure as you live we're in a fair way to find out now. "

"Was there ever anything so strange as our being up here just at thetime they came to play their game?" demanded Monkey Stallings. "Why, it begins to look as if they must have engaged the old castle especiallyto cast their play here, and make it seem the real stuff, don't youthink so, Hugh?"

"That's not so very remarkable, after all, " ventured Hugh, as allof them continued to stare at the many moving figures, apparentlyresting for the next stage in the exciting drama that was being reeledoff. "I understand that all those big companies have spies outeverywhere about the country. "

"Spies!" echoed Billy; "and what for, Hugh, when we're not at war withanybody?"

"There's a tremendous amount of competition afloat between the numerouscompanies, " explained the other. "They are looking for all sorts ofqueer settings for their plays. Houses have to be burned down, bridges blown up, railroad trains ditched, and all manner of stuntspulled off to satisfy the public greed for thrilling spectacles. "

Alec gave a plain, unmistakable groan. 

"That's it, " he said disconsolately, "it's going to spell my finish. I knew that I didn't have that heavy feeling for nothing. There wassomething in the air that told me my fine dreams were going to bewrecked, sooner or later. Chances are now this big company has goneand stepped in to buy the old castle for a song, and in the courseof their reproduction of history they expect to blow the same up, or at least set fire to that part made of wood. It's all off, boys!"

"But you've got your pictures to show for it, Alec, " Hugh told him, consolingly, "and your aunt wouldn't think of taking back your cameraafter you've done so well with it. She can see that it isn't yourfault, no matter what happens to the old building now. "

Alec gave a cry of triumph. 

"Say, that's right, Hugh, and thank you for reminding me I'm carryingthat same camera at this very minute. What's to hinder me snapping offa few pictures on my own account of what's going on over there? Whatdo you say to that, Hugh?"

"I should say you'd be foolish not to take the chance, " returned thescout leader. 

It was surprising to see how Alec forgot his keen disappointment ashe commenced to focus his instrument upon the easily seen building, with all those strange costumed figures about the walls. 

"The sun is just right for a cracker-jack snap-shot from here, " heremarked, as he proceeded to press the bulb, and then carefully changethe exposure so that he might not inadvertently take two pictureson the same portion of film; for Alec was exceedingly systematic inmost things he did, which was one secret for his wonderful successat photography, a profession that allows no haphazard habits. 

"There, I reckon they're staging another picture over yonder, boys!"cried Arthur, as a new bustle was noticed amidst the group of players. "Two of the men appear to have been knocked out in that attack, forthere's a chap who looks like he might be a doctor attending to themunder that tree. I wonder if they'd care to let me lend a hand atthat part of the game? I'm sure I can be of help. "

Arthur was never happier than when plying his favorite vocation ofamateur surgeon. He had really done some fine work along those lines, and received the approbation of those who were well up in medicalpractice. 

"Whee, if all that scrapping was half-way real!" burst out the admiringBilly; "the only thing I wonder at is how any of those fellows manageto come out of the fight with whole heads or limbs. Some of them weresent crashing down when that short ladder was hurled back by thedefenders on the walls. It looked pretty real stuff from here. "

"It is pretty near the genuine thing. " said Hugh. "I've often wonderedwhether they faked those wonderful affairs, but after, what I've seenthis day I'm going to believe they're as close to the original as canbe. There, you see how the fat man beside the operator is wavinghis arms. He's got a megaphone, too, and as the scene goes alonghe bawls through that to tell them to keep on, or change the waythey're doing things. "

Alec got ready to take another snap-shot when the battle was well on. He was as excited as Hugh had ever seen him, and the other tookoccasion to warn the photographer to be careful. 

"Get a grip on yourself, Alec, " he said. "Hold yourself steady, orelse you'll be making some fearful blunder, and spoiling the bestchance you ever had to get a prize picture. Now they are startingin again, you see!"

Every one of the five scouts was straining his eyesight to the extremelimit in the, endeavor not to lose the slightest incident. Neverbefore had such a glorious opportunity come to any of their kind toactually watch how those astonishing scenes of olden times were takenby the motion-picture players; and they did not want to miss any partof it. 

Again did the great noise break forth as the valiant assailants commencedtheir new attack upon the apparently impregnable walls of the ancientcastle, so gallantly defended by the occupants. 

This small army of players had descended on the region like a floodof seventeen-year locusts. An hour or two before and there had apparentlynot been a living thing in the neighborhood of the mansion, and nowit was the centre of a swarming horde of earnest workers, each tryingto earn his salary as best he knew how, both by shouting, and alsofighting in yeoman style. 

"Oh! why can't we get closer than this, Hugh?" begged Alec, afterhe had taken another snap at the animated spectacle that would lateron thrill many a boyish heart in the way of a picture, and also causea feeling of envy to arise because a cruel fate had prevented themfrom participating in the wonderful adventure. 

"Nothing to hinder that I can see, " he was told. "Fact is, I was goingto suggest that same thing myself. So let's get a move on, fellows. "

Eagerly they kept pace with Hugh as he started to run toward the castle. It would be a shame not to take full advantage of the golden opportunityoffered them to get in close touch with these motion-picture actorswho, unaware of the fact that they had a small and select audiencein the way of Boy Scouts, were each and every one working like troopersto fulfill their difficult duties. 

Alec kept close "tabs" on what was going on ahead presently, possiblyfearing that the excited, fat manager, who was dancing up and down, mopping his forehead with a red bandanna with one hand, and wavingthe megaphone with the other when not shouting through the same, mightcall the scene off, the boy stopped short, focussed again on the amazingpicture, and got another snap-shot at closer range. 

In this fashion the runners managed to come close up before therewas a sudden cessation to all the tumult of hideous war, and the actors, laughing and evidently enjoying it to the utmost, began to crowd aroundthe stage director as if to learn whether the scene had met with hisapproval. 

CHAPTER IX

WITH THE MOTION-PICTURE PEOPLE

"Where did you boys spring from, I'd like to know?"

It was the perspiring stage manager who asked this question when Hughand the other four scouts came hurrying up to where he was sitting ona rock, fanning himself with his hat, while the dozens of knights, squires and bowmen were puffing cigarettes, and apparently resting upfor the next exciting scene in the wonderfully realistic drama ofolden times. 

"Well, you see, sir, we happen to belong to a scout troop over inOakvale, " explained Hugh. "We came up here to spend the weekend, and transact some business at the same time. This chap here, AlecSands, has a peculiar old aunt in the city who is anxious to buy justsuch a quiet retreat as this place, where she wouldn't hear a sound, for she's got a case of nerves, you see. And one of our objects wasto take some pictures of the castle, as well as spy around a bit. "

The red-faced stage-director laughed even as he kept on mopping hisforehead. Evidently it mattered little to him that the air was quitechilly, for his duties kept him so much on the jump he was swelteringfrom the perspiration of hard, honest labor. 

"Say you so, my young friend?" he exclaimed. "Well, if we leave anypart of the old ruin intact when we're through with this series ofstartling pictures the old lady can doubtless buy it at a smallfigure. "

"Does that mean you'll wreck a big structure like this, sir, just toget a picture of it being blown up?" asked Alec, dismayed. 

"Oh, that doesn't cut any figure in the bill!" he was told flippantly. "The public demands the best there is, and money must flow like waterin order to keep up with our rivals. We're going to give them somethingnovel this time, you see. "

"How, sir?" Monkey Stallings found the courage to ask, his curiositygetting the better of his modesty. 

"This new play isn't really a play at all, " said the stout man, witha touch of pride in his voice. "It's a stunt of my own we're pullingoff to-day. You see, the public sometimes expresses a desire to learnjust how these magnificent pictures are done, and we expect to showthem the whole thing from beginning to end. They'll see my companystarting out in a string of motor cars for this place; watch themgetting rigged out in their spic-and-span suits of mail, and old-timestuff; feast their eyes on just such wonderful feats as you have seenpulled off beside these massive walls; and step by step, be takeninto our confidence as we progress, until finally the amazing climaxarrives. Right now you can hear the machine clicking away, as theoperator takes a crack at the players resting between their acts. Perhaps it may please you chaps to know that you'll be seen in thefinished production along with the rest of the troupe. "

Billy seemed quite awed at the idea. He was observed to slyly pulldown his vest, and straighten himself up as though on dress parade. If countless thousands of people were going to gaze upon his personthroughout the whole length and breadth of the land, Billy wantedto do his family justice, and not disgrace his bringing up. 

Plainly, the stage director seemed to be considerably interested inthe scouts. Possibly he may have had a boy or two of his own in hismetropolitan home who also wore the khaki, and consequently any fellowwho sported such a uniform was of some value in his eyes. Then again, in his hard labors, the coming of Hugh and his four comrades may haveseemed like a breath of fresh air, something to temporarily distracthim from the routine of his trying business. 

At any rate, he seemed disposed to continue the conversation while hispeople were resting, and making ready for the next act in the drama ofpublicity. 

"Although all this seems very wonderful to you boys, " he went on toremark, lighting a cigarette as he spoke, at which he took severalpuffs and then nervously threw it away again, "it represents only onelittle event in the bustling activities of my force here, as anyregular member of it could tell you. "

"I suppose you must have been around some, sir?" ventured MonkeyStallings, at which the red-faced manager looked queerly at him andthen chuckled. 

"Well, it's a hustling age, you know, " he told them. "I've been atthis business over four years now, and so far it hasn't quite reducedme to a skeleton in spite of the fierce work. I've taken the leadingmembers of my famous players across the desert in Egypt to the pyramids, explored Spain and the heart of India, traveled across Japan, goneinto China, camped in Central American jungles, wandered into theheart of Africa hunting big game, toured away up in Alaska as wellas traveled all through the Wild West, and in Mexico among the fightingthat's always going on down there. And I've got a few more stuntsmapped out that will dwarf everything else that's ever been undertaken. Oh! this is only a little picnic for a motion-picture stage director. "

He may have been stretching the truth more or less, but then Hugh sawno reason to disbelieve what he said. The boy realized that in thesemodern days those who would succeed in the midst of fierce competitionmust have something very unusual to offer the fickle public in the wayof adventure and novel effects. Why, the mere fact of this managerlearning about the deserted castle in the lonesome valley, andfetching such an army of players all the way up there to impersonatethe genuine characters of olden days, was proof enough that what hehad just been saying might be considered in the line of reason. Atall events, there was no ground on which to doubt him. 

Billy was casting frequent nervous glances over toward the spot wherethe operator was still grinding lustily away, seeking to get a goodpicture of the actors in one of their off-periods, when they weretaking things easy after a recent "engagement. "

When, by accident, Monkey Stallings chanced to step in the way, Billyhastily moved his position. When a Worth was being immortalized inthis fashion far be it for a worthy scion of the race to allow a mereStallings to crowd him out. When, presently, the grinding ceased, with the operator hurrying across to report his success to the bustlingstage director, Billy grinned in conscious triumph, for he felt convincedthat he stood out prominently in that picture, so that any one who sawit must notice what a handsome chap one of the Boy Scouts appeared tobe on the screen, at least. 

The man who was running all this wonderfully complicated affair lookedjust like a goodnatured, red-faced bank cashier, but Hugh realized thathe must have an amazing capacity for detail work, as well as aremarkable faculty for organization. 

Now and then he would refer to a sheaf of papers he carried aroundwith him, fastened together with a little arrangement that allowedof their being rapidly turned over from time to time. Doubtless thiswas his plan of campaign. Hugh would have given something for theprivilege of examining the same, but lacked the assurance to ask sucha favor of one who was an utter stranger to him, and moreover couldnot afford to spend much time with a pack of mere boys. 

It could be seen that the players expected to be soon called around themanaging director for instructions connected with motion pictures weretaken. So Hugh pulled at the sleeves of Monkey Stallings, to intimatethat they had better fall back. 

Arthur had already left them. Hugh hardly needed to take a look aroundto understand what it was that had drawn the other. Yes, he was overthere where the man in a business suit seemed to be bathing the limbof a super who had suffered more or less severely when the ladder onwhich he was mounted had been roughly dislodged from the walls, throwing all upon it to the ground beneath. 

If Arthur were given half a chance he would soon be busily engagedassisting the doctor wrap some linen bandages about that bruised limb. By his eager remarks he would also arouse considerable interest onthe part of the company's physician, who probably always accompaniedthe troupe wherever they traveled, as his services were in frequentdemand. Indeed, sometimes he became a very busy man. 

"I wonder, " Billy was saying, becoming more and more audacious, itseemed, on the principle that give one an inch and he will want anell---"I wonder now if he'd listen to me if I asked him to let us havea chance to get in the next picture?"

Monkey Stallings laughed harshly at hearing that. 

"Well, you are a greeny, Billy, I must say, " he declared. "Stop andthink for a minute, will you, how silly it would look to see a bunchof Boy Scouts dressed in khaki clothes helping those old-time yeomentackle the walls of that ancient castle. Why, we'd queer the wholebusiness, that's what!"

"Yes, but didn't you hear him say we'd appear in that last scene?"disputed the eager Billy, loth to give up his ambitious plan to have aleading place in the exposition showing how this famous group ofmotion-picture players did their perilous work. 

"Sure he did, " retorted the other, with a shrug of his shoulders asif he pitied Billy's ignorance, "but then you must remember that wasintended to show the players resting up between acts, and not at theirwork. There's a whole lot of difference between the two jobs, letme tell you. "

Billy made no reply, but it could be seen that he looked greatlydisappointed as he watched the myriad of actors begin to get inposition for the opening of the next scene. This might possiblyrepresent the triumphant entry of the assailants into the castle ofthe enemy, which, in turn, would lead up to the rescue of the lovelyheroine just when the villainous knight was about to hurl her intothe blazing tower. 

The chattering began to die away as the harsh voice of the stagedirector was heard through his megaphone, giving directions as to howthis or that group should carry out their parts. Hugh wondered howmany turns it would take before that exacting manager felt like callingit a satisfactory picture. Perhaps they might be forced to repeatthe scene many times, simply because some clumsy fellow did somethingto injure its value. 

Alec was busily manipulating his camera, and Hugh chuckled when hefound that the other was taking in the entire scene, showing the operatorwith his instrument, as well as the scouts gathered near by. Billy, too, had made the same discovery, for he was smiling as sweetly as heknew how, and had again assumed that martial attitude which he seemedto consider made him such a striking figure. 

Evidently this little expedition was bound to be fruitful with results, and on their return home those who were along would have somethingto show for their labors. Even if that eccentric relative of Alec'slost the chance to obtain a quiet retreat "far from the madding crowd, "as Billy had once described it, their week-end outing promised tobe well worth the effort it cost them individually and collectively. 

They watched everything that was being done. It was astonishing tosee what an amount of stuff the players had fetched along from thecity, in order to carry out the battle scene true to the original, as they understood it. Why, even the rude bridge that had been thrownacross the moat had been fashioned beforehand, and was carried withthem in sections, like one of those ready-built houses Hugh rememberedseeing advertised, that "any boy could put together. "

The stage director was fuming, and saying a lot of hard things, asthough some of the stupid acts of the army of _supers_ nearly drovehim distracted. By degrees he managed to whip his forces into theshape he wanted before he gave the warning signal that the fun wasabout to commence. 

"Whee!" Billy was saying half to himself as he stared at the bustlingscene, "but wouldn't it be great if only we'd been asked to put onsome suits like those fellows are wearing, and have a chance to climbup the ladders? I bet you now we'd show them how to break through, no matter what the men on the walls tried to put on us. But shucks!that'd be too big luck; and besides, it could hardly be fair forus boys to steal the thunder of those hard-working actors. There, he's going to give the signal for the mimic war to begin. Everybodytake a big breath and sail in! Now, go it, you terriers; the battle'son again!"

CHAPTER X

THE ASSAULT ON THE "CASTLE. "

"Yes, there goes the signal!" burst from the excited Alec, as they sawthe manager suddenly raise his hand, and fire a revolver three timesin quick succession. 

Immediately everybody seemed to get busy at once. Most of thebattle-scarred veterans, who knew their business so well, started injust about where the last stirring scene had left off. Possibly thosewho had been "killed" in the former desperate assault had found timeto come mysteriously to life again, leaving a dummy in their stead tobe ruthlessly trampled on, now assumed new places in the ranks, to makethe assailants and defenders look more like a veritable "host. "

The scouts held their breath in very awe. What they were looking atwas indeed quite enough to make any one do that. Certainly no suchremarkable scene had ever before been "set" since those actual dayswhen Crusaders and Saracens met in mortal combat on the plains of theHoly Land, and knights went forth to battle in joust and tournamentwearing a fair lady's glove on their helmet as a talisman for luck. 

Of course Hugh, as well as most of his young companions, had readsome of the romantic works of Sir Walter Scott, and were familiarwith his vivid descriptions of just such warlike pictures as theynow saw delighted Hugh, indeed, was of the opinion that it might beone of these that the famous players of the motion picture world werenow acting, and the name of "Ivanhoe" was uppermost in his mind ashe watched the progress of the furious battle. 

There were women folks in the castle, too, for occasionally they couldbe seen frantically spurring their defenders on to renewed exertions. Others may have been playing the part of prisoners, for the boysdiscovered a white handkerchief waving from a window in one of theturrets, as though to encourage the assailants in their work. Perhapsthis was Rebecca in her cell, Hugh thought. 

All of this just about suited the imagination of red-blooded boys asproper and right. It had been virtually going on ever since the worldbegan, and would in all probability endure so long as men lived onthis planet. 

Now and then, when one of the scouts discovered something thatparticularly interested him, and to which he wished to draw theattention of his mates, he found it necessary to fairly bawl the fact, so as to be heard above the wild clamor. 

As a rule, this appertained to Monkey Stallings and Billy. Hugh waswrapped up in observing all that went on, and it required his undividedattention, just as on the occasion of his visiting a big circus wherewonderful events were taking place in three rings at the same time. 

Arthur Cameron, on his part, was mentally figuring on how much surgicalattention some of these doughty warriors would need after this amazingfracas; and when Arthur had his mind set upon that entrancing subjecthe might be considered blind to all ordinary matters. 

As for Alec, his one idea was to snap off an occasional picture thatwould show the astonishing thing he and his lucky comrades had runacross when the motion-picture players came to make use of the imitationcastle on the peak. The only trouble with Alec was a dreadful fearthat his supply of film might run out, and then he stood a chance ofmissing what was likely to prove the best part of the whole proceedings. 

Already he had reached Number Ten on his last roll, with but two moreto wind up. Oh, what would he not have given for a couple more rollsof a dozen exposures each; just then they would have been worth theirweight in silver to the ambitious photographer. 

Vague hopes had been playing at leap-tag in the mind of the scoutpicture-taker. He wondered if there might not be some way in whichthey could succeed in influencing that hopping stage manager to promiseto sell them a duplicate set of the pictures when they were readyfor showing to the public. Alec knew that they were rented out, andsometimes sold outright. If Hugh now, with his persuasive tongue, could only exact such a promise from the gentleman in charge, wouldit not be a splendid achievement to incidentally have the pictureincluded in the programme to be run at the town hall for some localbenefit; and then hear the shouts from the boys of Oakvale when theydiscovered familiar uniforms and faces amidst the actors at rest?

From various remarks which the boys had heard shouted by the stagedirectors in giving his last directions they understood that thisattack was calculated to carry the fort. Already the men who wieldedthat heavy battering ram made from a convenient log, seemed to besmashing in the stout oaken front door, never built to resist sucha desperate assault. It quivered with each blow. 

The director was shouting a medley of orders through that wonderfulmegaphone of his. He seemed to be able to see everything that tookplace. Hugh compared him to what he had once read about the eminentconductor of orchestra and musical festivals, Theodore Thomas, whowhen more than a hundred musicians were practicing under his direction, with a fearful outburst of sound and melody, would suddenly stop theproceedings, and scold a certain player whose instrument had "flatted, "or come in just an ace behind the regular time. 

And every member of that vast company was keeping a wary eye on thedirector all the time seeming to be working like mad. They were waitingto catch the signal that was to inaugurate the final scene, wherethose on the walls were to weaken, allowing one after another of theascending men on the ladders to crawl over the parapet. 

The door was really giving way now under the bombardment brought tobear upon it. Indeed, not to be premature those who wielded thebattering ram had to slacken their efforts more or less, thoughpretending to work as furiously as heretofore. 

One thing alone seemed lacking, according to the mind of Billy, to makethe battle seem the real thing. There were no cannon shots, and eventhe rattle of muskets and small arms appeared lacking. 

Later on, when by chance in a carping, critical mood he mentionedthis fact, he was greeted by a roar of derision from Monkey Stallingsand Alec, who told him to brush up a little on history. He must rememberthat in those ancient days gunpowder had not been invented, and thatconsequently all missiles that passed through the air had to be hurledby machines fashioned after the style of the familiar rubber slingso well known to all boys. 

"It's coming soon now, fellows!" shouted the Stallings boy, whosequick eye no doubt noted certain preparations for the final scene, such as a gathering of the assailants on the ladders, now no longerbeing overthrown, and also clinging to such projections of the stonewalls near the escarpment as they could find. 

Alec held his hand. 

"Only one more picture!" he was groaning, disconsolately, at the sametime determined that it should be the climax of the whole affair, whenthe castle walls were actually carried by the energetic horde pushingagainst them. 

More wildly than ever waved those frantic appeals for "help" fromthe narrow window slits in the tower room. The "fair lady" was apparentlydoing everything in her power to encourage her knight and his followersto renewed efforts in her behalf. 

Of course, it was a foregone conclusion that the gallants who weredoing the assaulting would be victorious in the end. Motion-picturepatrons differ from those who attend the grand opera, since they willnot stand to have their drama turn out disagreeably. Right must alwaystriumph over might, regardless of how it actually happens in real life;and the villainous knight was sure to be punished as soon as the heroicleader of the attacking party could force an entrance to the castle, and chase after him to the tower room. 

Hugh drew a long breath. 

Just as the sagacious Monkey had declared at the top of his voice, thefinish was close at hand now. At any second Hugh expected to hear thevolley of shots from the stage director's weapon sounding high abovethe clamor. Indeed, much of the racket had died down, showing thatthe actors themselves were looking for it, and did not want to doanything to smother the welcome sound that would mean their releasefrom further toil and turmoil, for the moment, at least. 

All this while the operator was grinding away assiduously. He knewhis duty was to get down everything that happened regardless of whathis judgment might be. If certain sections of the film provedobjectionable from any cause it would be an easy matter to eliminatethat part; whereas nothing new could be supplied without going overthe whole scene again at tremendous cost of energy. 

It was certainly an education for Hugh. He had never dreamed that sucha splendid chance would come his way, allowing him to learn just howmotion pictures were made. Truly, the wonderful good luck that hadbeen the portion of himself and comrades for so long a period seemedto still follow their footsteps, as one of the boys had only recentlydeclared. 

And just then the shrill voice of Monkey Stallings rang out again, thistime with a note of genuine alarm pervading its tones. 

"Look, oh, look!" was what he shrieked, excitedly; "that wall is suregoing to collapse right down on those men! That's real, notmake-believe! Oh, Hugh, can't something be done to warn the poorfel---there, it's coming now!"

And right through it all the imperturbable operator kept grinding away. It was a part of his business to get everything down, real or imitation;and even an accident that imperiled human life might make good "stuff. "

CHAPTER XI

IMITATION AND REALITY

Perhaps it was almost mechanically that Alec pressed the bulb of hiscamera at just the very second when that wall was toppling over. Hehad a faint recollection afterwards of doing so, though only filledwith horror at the moment itself. 

There was a sudden cessation to all the clamor as the accident happened. Indeed, the three quick reports from the director's revolver hardlyseemed needed to bring a halt to the proceedings. As the door wasabout burst in, anyway, and some of the men could not longer be restrainedfrom clambering over the top of the walls, it would answer just aswell as though things had proceeded in their regular routine. 

Immediately afterwards a new kind of noise burst forth. Women shrieked, and men shouted. There were also cries of pain intermingled withthe rest, Hugh noticed. 

Before the scout master could even give an order he missed one of hiscompanions. Of course, this was Arthur Cameron. The sight of thatmass of rock toppling over upon several of the motion-picture actors, and carrying others down amidst a perfect jumble of heaped up stones, acted on Arthur as a red flag does upon the angry bull in the ring. 

Nothing could have kept him back, for his ears would have been deafeven to an order from the leader, whom he delighted to obey. Arthur'ssurgical instincts were aroused, and he saw the path of duty beforehim. And Arthur never shirked his duty. 

Hugh waited not upon the order of his going, but immediately chasedafter the other. Monkey Stallings was not far behind him, with Billytagging along of necessity. As for Alec, he only waited to gatherup his beloved camera, even neglecting to turn the last exposure downas a completed roll. 

In fact everyone seemed to be trying to converge upon the spot wherethe wall had collapsed. The manager was pushing his way through thecrowd, waving his megaphone, and looking somewhat alarmed, for hefelt dismayed at the idea of having so many of his supers being injuredmore or less seriously. It would mean not only pain and sufferingfor the poor fellows but a pretty heavy bill of damages to pay by thecompany. 

And yet, such is the force of education which becomes second naturewith men, that even in the midst of all this confusion the managercould think to bawl out to the operator not to neglect to get all thisin his reel, as it was going to show what actual perils the actorsran in making their pictures. 

Another queer thing happened that must be set down. Hugh actuallyforgot he was only a boy, and had been given no authority over thesemen. He saw that the first to arrive on the scene acted as thoughignorant of the best way to go about rescuing the poor chaps who werepartly buried under all that wreckage of the fallen wall. 

So what did he do but begin to order them about as though they wereslaves. He told a couple of them off to lift a heavy stone from thelower limbs of a man who seemed to be unconscious, and then therecame Arthur actually directing them how to raise the wounded superand carry him to where he could be laid under the nearest tree. 

Stranger still the men did just as they were bidden. In moments likethis the stronger mind dominates the situation, regardless of age orstature. Those supers were in the habit of taking orders, and neverstopped to question when told to follow out a line of work, especiallywhen the command came in a tone of authority. 

That was the remarkable picture that met the eye of the stage managerwhen he presently reached the scene. Hugh seemed to be telling theothers what to do as if all his life he had been accustomed to theposition of chief. No wonder the experienced manager stared at theboy who wore the faded suit of khaki, and even allowed a faint smileto wreathe his lips; for did he not have a beloved lad like that athome, and in his heart he felt that perhaps some day, in a time ofdesperate necessity, his son might likewise rise to an occasion asthis young chap was doing. 

There was no lack of eager workers, and they seemed to fall in withwhatever Hugh told them to do. He pointed this way and that as hedirected them to dig in the mass of debris for any unfortunate whomight be buried quite out of sight. And not once did it enter intothe head of the earnest lad that the machine close by was clickingaway merrily through it all, showing everything that was being donein the shadow of a real tragedy. Here was realism for fair!

Already three poor chaps had been either carried off or assisted. There were two of them grunting as though quite badly injured. Arthur, now joined by the regular doctor who accompanied the troupe of actorson their many lengthy trips, was busily engaged, endeavoring to ascertainthe extent of the damages. A dozen of the awed actors and actressessurrounded the impromptu field hospital, and upon every face couldbe seen only the deepest sympathy. 

Still, after the worst was known and the last of the injured takencare of, no doubt the task of completing the picture would go on, just as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. These rovingplayers become so accustomed to accepting risks in the pursuit oftheir calling that a little thing like this cannot be allowed tointerfere with the main object of their business for any greatlength of time. 

Other supers would be called upon to take the places of those injured, if there was any necessity for reenforcements, and the work of completingthe drama would proceed apace. 

By degrees the mass of fallen material was pulled aside, many handsmaking light work. Half a dozen of the agile players had managed tosave themselves, receiving only slight skin abrasions which wouldhardly keep them from earning their salaries. 

There were just four who had been carried or helped to the "hospital"under the tree near by in the grounds of the castle. It was whenthe pleasing fact had been communicated by one of the workers thatthe last victim of the accident was found, with no fatalities to accountfor, that the stage manager came up to Hugh with outstretched hand. 

He had his megaphone slung over his back as a sportsman might hisfowling-piece. With that everlasting red bandanna he was mopping hisforehead again, and this time it may have been as much anxiety asaction that started the perspiration streaming down his rosy face. 

"I want to thank you from my heart, son, " he told the pleased scoutmaster, as he gripped his hand in a warm clutch. "You have provedyourself a jewel in this emergency. If this is one of the thingsscouts learn, I'm glad my boy has taken up the subject. I'm proudof you all. I don't see, how we could have done things half as wellif you hadn't been on the ground to assist, yes, to take the lead. Once more, I thank you!"

He glanced to where Arthur, with his coat thrown off, was workingover one of the victims of the near-tragedy. The sight seemed toaffect the stage manager, for he nodded his head violently, and Hughbelieved he could see a moisture in his eyes just then. 

"I had another boy some years back, I want to tell you, " he said, softly. "He was drowned while swimming in the river. His companionssucceeded in getting Tad out, but they were utterly ignorant as tohow to go to work to restore him to consciousness---and so my boydied. I believe before Heaven that if they had been raised in theknowledge of the things you Boy Scouts learn in these days, my poorwife and I need not have suffered such a cruel loss. When I learnedsomething about the education of a scout, I made up my mind that sinceI had still one son left to me there would never be a repetition ofthat calamity. He is now a patrol leader in his troop in Brooklyn, and can swim like a duck. Come, let's go over and see what the worstis going to be. "

Hugh gladly accompanied the genial stage manager. His heart burnedwithin him, not with silly pride, but sincere gratification, on accountof what he had just heard. The boy's mind was so wrapped up in theglorious possibilities that an aspiring scout ever has at his finger-tipsthat commendation like this always pleased him. It was Hugh's ambitionto have the Oakvale Troop embrace every lad of suitable age in andaround his home town. He would not have a single one refused anopportunity to enjoy those privileges and advantages which membershipwith the scouts assures. 

So they joined the circle around the temporary "hospital. " The doctorhad not allowed the anxious crowd to press in too closely, for heunderstood the value of plenty of fresh air and working room whenengaged in cases of this kind. Besides, most of the picture playersknew from former experiences what they must do, and were only eager tobe of any possible help. 

Even the women, clad in their strange gowns of a bygone age, and wearingastonishing head-dresses and shoes, showed remarkable courage. Theirnerves had been steeled by long association with perils of varioustypes, so that they manifested none of the weaknesses people expectto find in connection with the gentler sex. One of the leading actresseswas assisting in washing quite an ugly wound that a poor fellow hadreceived in his arm. He seemed to be bearing his suffering like ahero, and acted as though he rather enjoyed having one of the heroinesplay the part of nurse to a humble understrapper. 

Hugh allowed his eyes to fall with pardonable pride upon his chum, Arthur, for he saw that, as usual, the ambitious amateur surgeon wasdoing fine work, of which no one need be ashamed. 

And all of this remarkable happening was being faithfully recordedupon the rapidly shifting thousand feet of film in the hopper of themachine, to later on astonish gaping crowds with a faithful delineationof the perils attending the ordinary life of a motion-picture player. 

CHAPTER XII

WHEN SWORDS CLASHED

"I wonder if that winds up the whole show?" asked Billy Worth, a shorttime later, as Alec and Monkey Stallings joined him, while there wasan unusual bustle among the numerous retinue of the hard-workingstage manager. 

"Not on your life, Billy, " observed Alec, "though I'm all in myselfso far as taking any more wonderful pictures goes, because I've usedmy last film, which I consider hard luck. Hugh just told me the worstis yet to come. "

"What! are they going to make out to burn the old castle down? Is thatworrying you, Alec?" asked the Stallings boy. 

"Sure it is, " frankly confessed Alec. "Of course, the fire will bea whole lot of a fake; that is, much smoke, and no real danger to thegirl shut up in that high turret room; but, all the same, it's goingto do considerable harm to the building, which may queer it for AuntSusan's purposes. "

"Well, what can you say?" demanded Billy. "These people have putup the money to cover any damage they may do, and money talks everytime. Here comes Hugh back to tell us what the programme is. He'sjust left that hustler of a director, and the chances are Hugh knowsall about it, because he's made a big hit with the manager. "

"Hugh always does make people look up to him, somehow, " mused Alec, as though it often puzzled him to know just how the other managed it. 

"There, Arthur has joined him, too, and is coming along, " Billy wenton to say. "He's about finished helping the doctor take care of thewounded yeomen who had the bad luck to be caught when that treacherousold wall caved in. "

The scout master, accompanied by Arthur, quickly joined them, to begreeted by a shower of eager questions. 

"I can tell you all about it, fellows, " said Hugh, making as if toward off an attack. "Mr. Jefferson, the manager, says he figureson completing his work in the one visit, and has made all necessarypreparations. It's a tremendous job to fetch his big company allthe way from New York up here. If they make good to-day they expectto go back in the morning, or perhaps to-night, if they can catchthe late train. Otherwise they'll have to make another try to-morrow. Personally, I think they'll make good to-day. "

"What's the next stunt, Hugh?" asked Alec, his voice more or lessbetraying the eagerness and concern he felt. 

"Oh, from what I can gather, " answered the scout master, smilingly, "it runs about like this: The forces headed by the hero knight havecarried the outer works of the fortress castle in which the villainhas the fair heroine shut up in that turret room. The invaders, havingmade a breach in the walls and swarmed over in various places, willnow pursue the few desperate defenders of the castle through thispassage; and that, with many a desperate hand-to-hand fight. Alwaysthe knight in armor is seen hewing his way steadily through all opposition, with one object in view. Of course this is to meet the scoundrel, and finish him, which he eventually does after a dreadful sword fight. "

"Whew!" gasped Billy, listening with round eyes to the stirring story. 

Alec, too, was deeply interested, but his professional instinct causedhim to remark:

"They'll have to burn heaps and heaps of flashlight powder to get allthose inside effects. Wish they'd let me see just how they manage it, but it would be apt to queer the value of the picture to have, a modernBoy Scout appear in it. If I get a good chance, though, I've a notionto ask Mr. Jefferson. "

"You'll never be able to make it, Alec, " Hugh told him. "He's thebusiest man on earth. He has to be thinking of fifty things at once. "

"Go on, Hugh, and tell us the rest, " urged Billy, pawing at the sleeveof the other, which action he doubtless meant to be an urgent secondto his appeal. 

"Every once in a while there will be glimpses shown of Rebecca in herdungeon, looking out of the little opening, and carrying on as ifnearly frightened to death, for gusts of smoke will be circling aroundher, and she is supposed to know that the fire is getting closer allthe time. "

"Wow, that must make it a thriller for fair!" exclaimed Monkey Stallings, who was known to love exciting stories, though his watchful motherkept a tight rein on his propensity to indulge along those lines, andcensored all books he brought into the house before allowing him todevour them. 

"Of course, " remarked Alec, flippantly. "It goes without saying thateventually knight in shining armor, Ivanhoe, or whoever he may be, gets to the locked door of the turret tower room, bursts his way through, and saves the lovely maiden, like they always do in stories of thoseolden times. But here's hoping the fire doesn't get out of control, and set in to destroy the best part of this wonderful castle. Suchthings have been known to happen, I've read. "

"Gosh!" ejaculated Billy with morse than his accustomed vigor, "you'reonly thinking of the humbug old castle, Alec, and what chance therewould be for your rich aunt to buy the same if half burned down. Guess you forget the poor girl shut up in that lonesome turret room;what d'ye suppose would become of _her_ if the fire got beyond control?"

"And not a ladder in sight, either, " added Monkey Stallings, dismally, as he swept his eyes around in a nervous way. "As for a fire company, there isn't one closer than Danbury, which is all of ten miles away. Whew! I'm beginning to wish the whole business was over with, boys, andthe troupe jogging along back to the town they came from in all thosebig automobiles. "

Hugh made no remark just then, but perhaps this suggestion of possibletrouble cause him a little concern. He could be seen looking gravelytoward the immense pile of real and imitation stone as though mentallyfiguring what it might be possible to do in a sudden emergency. 

As numerous events in the past had proved, Hugh Hardin was always agreat hand for mapping out things beforehand. He believed in theprinciple of preparing for war in times of peace, so as not to betaken unawares. 

"A man insures his home, " Hugh often said in explanation of this habit, "when everything seems lovely and safe, not when the fire is raging, and his property going up in flame and smoke. "

The stage manager had determined that there was no need of repeatingthe last wild scene where the castle was taken, and a tottering wallfell unexpectedly in the midst of the furious struggle. Let it stand, he had determined, accident and all. It appeared to be almost perfect"copy, " and would show up as a faithful portrayal of the stupendousperils attending the efforts of his company in enacting just one phaseof a romantic drama of the days of chivalry. 

"I notice that they are meaning to use two machines and a couple orcamera men, so as to get all the excitement down pat, " ventured Alec, presently, as they stood and watched the hurrying people of the playin their remarkable attire suggestive of those feudal days of old. 

"One is to be kept busy outside, " explained Hugh, "while the othertakes pictures of the fighting going on through the corridors andapartments of the castle, while the knight and his valorous retainersare battling their way closer and closer to the place where the captive'maiden' is held fast behind the locked door. I got all that stuffstraight from Mr. Jefferson, and those are his own words, so don'tlaugh. "

"Huh! it's too serious a business to do much laughing, " grunted Billy. "I'm just itching all over to see how it comes out. There, that musthave been the signal to start. I can see some of the men beginningto make an awful smoke with the apparatus they're handling. What agood imitation of the real thing it is!"

"Whoopee! listen to the big swords clashing inside the castle, willyou?" cried Monkey Stallings. "Say, we're missing great stunts, believe me, in having to stay out here. I've got half a notion-----"

However, Monkey did not finish the sentence, whatever rash notion wasflitting through his active mind. Possibly he had indulged in a wilddream that for one of his climbing abilities it might prove feasibleto reach a window above, and by thrusting his head through theaperture see something of the wonderful things going on in thepassages where the crowd was thronging. 

It was the fact of Hugh looking meaningly at him that caused Monkeyto stop in the midst of his sentence, for he saw by the expressionon the face of the scout master that Hugh would not permit any meddling. The enormous expense and labor attending the taking of that picturemust not be wasted through any injudicious act on the part of himselfor one of his chums. 

As the minutes passed the confusion became almost a riot, so it seemedto Billy. The shouts of the fighting men grew hoarse with constantrepetitions, for naturally they had to give vent to their emotions, or else much of their efforts would have lacked in the genuine feeling. How those swords did whack and beat upon each other as slowly butsurely the defenders of the castle were being cut down one by one!

It was terribly realistic, too, with the vast volumes of smoke risingup in billows, and here and there what seemed to be a red tongue offire shooting through the appalling waves of black vapor. 

Presently, as the boys understood, matters would reach a climax. Thiswas when the hero knight attained the goal for which he was strivingso valiantly. 

Then he would be seen attacking the fastened door furiously, whileinside and out that ominous smoke curled in wreaths about him. Inthe end, just when it seemed as though all would be lost, of course, the knight must batter his way in through the broken door, and thedashing rescue would be complete. 

Hugh was beginning to feel nervous, and with a reason. While hischums' were wholly wrapped up in observing the numerous excitingincidents that fell under their observation, and connected with thework of the laboring players, the scout master had made a suddendiscovery that worried him. 

It was a very small matter, and would never have been noticed by anyone whose training had not been that of a scout, accustomed to observingeverything happening around him. But small matters may become _deciding_factors. 

The wind had shifted all of a sudden, and besides coming from a newquarter was rapidly growing in violence. Hugh knew this from the waythe smoke had turned and was now sweeping toward the southeast. Thisfact, while trifling in itself, might, as he well knew, assume aterrible significance when it was remembered that a dozen industrioussupers were playing with fire, and causing it to appear that the wholewing of the castle were enveloped in flames, real or make-believe. 

Hugh had eyes for nothing else after making that thrilling discovery. He watched with his nerves on edge, and at the same time began tothink within that active brain of his what his plan of campaign mustbe should the worst that he feared come to pass. 

Those hoarse shouts of the combatants, the clang of steel smitingsteel, the roar of the manager's voice through his big megaphone, the shrieks of the women connected with the troupe, induced by thereal excitement of the occasion---all these sounds fell upon deafears as Hugh gripped his chum Arthur by the arm and called his attentionto the impending peril, becoming greater with every second. 

"The wind, don't you see it's whipped around, and is coming from anew quarter?" was the tenor of what he called in the other's ear. "If that fire gets away from those supers it's going to give them aheap of trouble! Yes, it will chase those fighters out of the passagesin a hurry, and I'm afraid it'll even cut off the poor girl who issupposed to be locked in that turret room. "

"Hugh, look! look!" ejaculated Arthur, in sudden excitement; "Just asyou said, I do believe the fire has got beyond their control already. Listen to the way everybody is whooping it up now. It's real frightthat we hear, and no make-believe!"

CHAPTER XIII

WELL DONE, SCOUTS!

Hugh was glad that he had foreseen just such an emergency as the onethat now confronted the motion-picture players. It afforded him achance to get busy without wasting any precious time in laying outplans. 

The men who had been inside the building began to come rushing out, some dragging comrades who may have temporarily found themselves unableto walk, owing to the fatigue influenced by their recent terrificefforts, and also the weight of the armor which they were wearing. 

Everybody looked alarmed and distressed, and with reason, for it wasnow seen that the wing where the girl was shut up in that turret roomwas enveloped in real flames, which, whipped by the rising wind, threatened to consume the whole structure in so far as it consistedof wood made to resemble genuine stone. 

The director was again shouting hoarsely through his megaphone, buthe was now up against a situation that none of them had foreseen, sothat consequently no preparations had been made toward meeting it. Men ran this way and that as though they had temporarily takenleave of their senses. Women could be seen wringing their hands, and shrieking wildly. 

Although the outside camera man undoubtedly realized that this wasanything but a sham now, he never once ceased grinding away at hismachine. Long experience in these lines had convinced him of thegreat value of a stirring scene like this; and besides, his serviceswere hardly needed in the work of saving the one whose life seemedto be in deadly peril. 

"We must do something, and right away at that!" called Hugh. "Comealong with me, every one, I've got a scheme that may be made to work. "

They followed close at his heels. Evidently it did not enter intothe head of the scout master to think, of applying for permissionfrom the stage manager before starting to try out his suddenly formedplan. Hugh realized very well that this was an occasion where thatenergetic gentleman would be at a loss what to tell him. Besides, a wideawake scout, accustomed to doing his own thinking, should bebetter equipped to manage such an affair as this than a man whosetalents ran in quite another direction. 

The first thing Hugh sought to get hold of was a long and stout ropewhich he had noticed lying on the ground near by, together with numerousother things which the company had thought to fetch along with them, having an eye to possible need. 

"Lay hold of that ax, Alec!" he told the other, who had managed toleave his beloved camera back of a tree, under the impression that itwould hinder him in the execution of the work Hugh had laid out forhimself and churns to perform. 

Some of the players had by this time begun to notice the little bunchof khaki-clad lads running toward the burning wing of the castle. They commenced to shout out to them, perhaps encouragingly, or it maybe intending to warn them not to attempt anything rash. 

Little Hugh cared what their cries might mean. He had his plan arranged, and believed it could be carried to success if only speedy actionwere taken. 

"We've got to get to the roof of that tower!" he told the others, asthey drew near the fire, and could begin to feel the heat it wasbeginning to throw out as it crept upward, whipped by the rising wind. "Billy, I want you and Arthur to stay down under the walls and beready to receive the girl, if we manage to, get things going. Understandthat, both of you?"

"All right, if you say so, Hugh!" replied Arthur, though it could benoticed that he looked greatly disappointed because he had not beenselected to accompany the rescuing party. 

Billy did not make any reply. Perhaps he was, secretly, as well pleasedto be assigned to that task, because Billy, being a heavy-weight, never made a success of climbing; and from all appearance there wasbound to be more or less of that style of work ahead of those who werechosen to go aloft. 

Having thus divided his party, Hugh hurried toward a window of themain building close by. He remembered that it was possible to gain, the roof of the castle---and unless the flames became too menacing---bycreeping along this they would be able to reach the top of the turrettower. If no other means were found available for gaining accessto the room of the prisoner, Hugh expected to make good use of thataxe, and force an entrance through the roof itself, as he had seenthe Oakvale volunteer firemen do on more than one occasion. 

Billy and Arthur watched their chums climbing hastily through thatwindow. Doubtless their hearts were throbbing with excitement, anddeep down those two were hoping and praying that not only would Hugh, Alec and Monkey Stallings be able to come back alive and unharmed, but that they might also accomplish the object that had enlisted theirservices. 

Meanwhile the trio of scouts found themselves groping their way alongsmoke-filled passages. Hugh made the others keep in close touch withhim while this was going on. He did not mean that they should becomeseparated, and something dreadful mar their endeavor to make themselvesuseful. 

Fortunately the fire had not as yet reached the stairway leading upward, so that in a brief space of time the three scouts found themselvesin the corridor where so lately a terrific combat had been takingplace. They even stumbled over some fragment of imitation steel armorwhich may have been hurriedly thrown aside at the time the alarm offire had sounded, causing such a hasty stampede on the part of themotion-picture players. 

Apparently, while the retreat of the actors in this near-tragedy hadbeen of a hurried nature, they had seen to it that no one of theirnumber had been left in the corridor to become a victim of the flames. Hugh made sure of this, even as he pushed his way along. 

A minute later and the boys were climbing out of a certain window onto the roof. Hugh had taken note of that very circumstance himselfwhen prowling about the remarkable building; in fact, he had evenhalf pulled himself up to see what the roof looked like, though neverdreaming at the time he would so soon find need of his knowledge. 

Monkey Stallings was, of course, in his element. None of the otherscould do nearly so well as he when it came to this sort of thing. Probably Hugh had remembered this circumstance when picking the acrobatout as one of his party, instead of choosing Arthur Cameron. 

He sent the Stallings boy on ahead, and gave him to understand that hewas expected to assist the others whenever he could. So they managedto gain the roof of the main building, and started in, the directionof the wing that was being fast enveloped in fiercely leaping flames. 

When the trio of scouts were discovered by the clusters of appalledactors down below, and many fingers were pointed up at them, cheersbegan to arise. Undoubtedly those quick-witted players guessed whatHugh had in mind, and as it seemed to be the only possible chance tosave the poor girl from her prison room, they one and all wished thecourageous lads godspeed in their mission. 

Hugh felt considerably relieved when he discovered that it would bepossible to gain the other roof from the main structure. There wasreally no time to lose, however, for the fire seemed to be gettinga pretty good headway, and any delay was likely to imperil their chancesof success. 

They had to get down on their hands and knees and crawl part of theway across. Had they been less agile they never could have made it, and just here it was seen how wisely the scout master had acted whenhe failed to choose clumsy if willing Billy Worth as one of theirnumber. 

Once upon the smaller roof covering the turret tower, Hugh found thatit was a matter of impossibility to lower themselves so as to gainthe slits of windows in the walls, made more for appearances thanfor any particular use. And even though they were able to reach oneof these he doubted whether any of them could manage to crawl through. 

There was nothing for it then but to attack the roof with the ax, which Alec had managed to cling to through all his climbing. Hughsnatched the implement from the hands of his churn, and went at it. The ax bit into the roof with each hearty blow, and Hugh worked likea beaver, knowing that there was constant danger they might be caughtby the creeping flames before their object had been accomplished. 

Afterwards, when speaking about their experiences up there on thatroof, Alec and Monkey Stallings always declared they had never seenany one wield an ax with more telling effect than Hugh did on thatwonderful occasion. Those who were below had a fair view of whatwas going on aloft, whenever the wind carried the smoke aside, astheir encouraging cheers testified from time to time. 

When Hugh found his muscles beginning to lag, he handed the implementover to Alec, knowing the other must be fairly wild to have a handin the labor. How the chips did fly and scatter with each and everyblow of that descending ax! Alec put every ounce of vim he couldmuster into each stroke, while if he faltered there was Monkey Stallingsopening and shutting his two hands as though eager to take up thegood work. 

Then came the critical moment when the ax cut through, and a smallgap appeared out of which a spiral of smoke began to ooze. Largergrew the hole, and then Alec, dripping with perspiration, fairly gaspingfor breath, handed the ax over to the third member of the group, afterwhich the work continued furiously. 

Finally Hugh stopped Monkey Stallings and made motions that he wasabout to go through the aperture. The others saw him vanish, anda brief but terrible period of suspense followed. Then through thegap in the roof appeared the head of the young woman who was playingthe romantic part of the Jewess, Rebecca. Through all this tragichappening she, must have managed to retain her self-possession ina way that was simply wonderful, for she was now able to do her parttoward working up through the hole in the roof, assisted by the twoscouts above. 

When those below discovered how success had thus far rewarded theefforts of Hugh and his equally quick-witted fellow scouts, the cheerthat broke forth could have been heard miles away, so great was theiradmiration for the work of the three boys. 

However, there was still more to be done if they would escape fromthe trap arranged between the rival elements, the wind and the fire. To return over the same route by which they had come was now impossible, since the fire had cut off escape by that course. 

This was a possibility foreseen by Hugh when he concluded to takethat long and serviceable rope aloft with him. By this means thegirl could first be lowered to the ground at a point where the flameshad not yet reached; and afterwards it would be little trouble for, himself and chums to also slide down to safety. Hugh always paidmuch attention to details. 

Accordingly this was what they hastily set about doing. They werefortunate in having to deal with a plucky little woman. She understoodjust what was expected of her, and indeed, to see the way she assistedthem secure the rope about her body under the arms, and then bade themswing her free, from the parapet of the tower, one might suspect thatshe had long since practiced for just this sort of thrilling picture. 

All went well, and one by one the three scouts came sliding down therope later on, none of them so much as having an eyelash singed, thoughthe flames roared as if angry at having lost a victim. 

"And, " Billy was heard to remark when the boys could break away fromthe excited players, all of whom wanted to squeeze their hands, andsay what they thought of the clever work, "Don't forget everyminute of the time that camera man was turning his crank like fury. He got it all down pat, too, boys, as maybe we'll see for ourselvesone of these fine days. "

CHAPTER XIV

OAKVALE GETS A THRILL

"What's the news, Alec?" demanded Billy Worth, some weeks after theevents narrated in the foregoing chapters took place. 

They were just entering the town hall of Oakvale, where there wasabout to be given a select entertainment consisting of the most partof educational motion pictures. It was intended for the benefit ofthe local orphan asylum, so that every seat in the big building wasbeing rapidly filled. 

A number of the other members of the scout organization were gatherednear by, as a special section of the chairs had been reserved forthe troupe, for certain reasons which no one seemed exactly to understand. It was only known that Hugh and Lieutenant Denmead, the regular scoutmaster, had made some arrangement with those who were, responsible forgetting up the benefit performance. 

"Oh! I had a letter from my Aunt Susan in this afternoon's mail, "replied Alec, as he nodded to several acquaintances near by, girlsbelonging to Oakvale High School. 

"About that place up in the country where we spent our last week-endouting, and had such a lively time---eh, Alec?" suggested Billy, with a wide grin. 

"Yes, and the meanness of you fellows keeping the whole business toyourselves all this time, " commented Blake Merton, severely. 

"We just know there was something _remarkable_ happened to you upthere, " spoke up Don Miller, the leader of the Fox Patrol, "but nomatter what we hinted, never a word could we get any of you to explainabout it. What's it all mean, Hugh?"

"Wait and see, " was the mysterious answer that again baffled thecuriosity of the eager listeners, some of whom had really begun to hopethat Hugh might think it time to remove the seal of absolute secrecywith which the outing had been enveloped so long. "And Alec, suppose youtell us what your aunt said in her letter. You don't look as if itheld good news, that's certain. "

Alec laughed good-naturedly. 

"Oh! she complimented me like everything because of those grand picturesI sent her, and said that the account I gave of the thrilling happeningsup there made her satisfied with the little investment she had incurred. I was welcome to the camera, and she also meant to send me anotherpresent soon, because she found herself quite interested in scoutwork. But she couldn't think of putting the deal through forthat---er---place. She says after what happened there, it's likelyto be a shrine for curious-minded folks for a long time to come, andas she wants absolute quiet, that would not suit her. So you see, justas I expected, that deal's off. "

All this strange manner of talk greatly aroused the listeners curiosity. They tried in turn to coax Hugh, Billy, Alec, Arthur or Monkey Stallingsto "open up and tell us what it all means, won't you like a good fellow?"but those worthies only looked wise, nodded their heads, and told themto "hold their horses, " and in good time they would be treated to alittle surprise that would pay them for all their waiting. 

The hall soon filled up, with seating space at a premium. It wasin a good cause and backed by the Women's League for Town Improvement. The orphans needed a good many things to make them comfortable for thewinter, and this was to be one of several methods employed to obtainthese articles, which the town did not see fit to supply. 

Walter Osborne, Bud Morgan and several of the other scouts had beensilently watching Hugh and his immediate chums. Their attention wasespecially directed toward Billy Worth, who seemed to be so nervousthat he could hardly keep his seat. 

"It's my opinion, " remarked Walter, sagely, "that there's going tobe something of a surprise sprung on the rest of us to-night. I'vebeen keeping tabs on Billy, and to see him grin, and look so happyand proud gives the thing away. He just can't keep his face straight, he feels so important. "

"But what can it be?" asked Jack Durham. "The whole entertainmentto-night is made up of Professor Wakefield with his violin, and threeselected moving pictures. "

"Yes, " added Bud Morgan, referring to a paper he held in his hand, "and one of these is a comic, a second a trip through the island ofCeylon, showing things just as if a fellow was there on the spot, while the third and last seems to be a series of pictures showingjust how a company of players go about when engaged in making one oftheir wonderful films. "

"I don't see how Billy can expect to be in touch with any of thosethings, " commented Walter, more puzzled than ever. "We'll just haveto wait and see, as Hugh told us. It may be that they've coaxed Hughto consent to get up there on the platform to-night, and tell allabout what happened to them the time they went off to spend the week-endup the country. "

"Walter, I wouldn't be surprised if you'd guessed it, after all, "said one of the other fellows; and then as a loud clapping of handsannounced that the well-known local violinist was about to make hisbow to the big audience, the boys stopped exchanging opinions, andsettled down to the policy of "watchful waiting" so often spoken ofby the occupant of the Executive Chair at Washington. 

The educational value of the "Trip through Ceylon" could not be gainsaid, and the humorous film caused much laughter, and boisterous merriment. Finally the announcement was made that they were now about to betreated to a most wonderful series of pictures, showing the detailsof how one of the best-known companies of moving-picture artists wentabout their work when engaged in producing a drama of olden days, with an appropriate setting and background. 

They were first of all discovered starting forth from their hotel inthe city, and taking train for some place in the country, together withmuch paraphernalia connected with their undertaking, so that it lookedvery much like an exodus on the part of a whole village of fashionables. 

Next the pictures showed them leaving the train, at some country town, where a whole string of capacious cars awaited them, into which theycrowded, joking and laughing, and carrying bundles without end. 

Then another scene disclosed the company clad in all manner of remarkablegarments, all of which might be recognized as having to do with thehistorical time of the Crusades, when knights in armor attended bytheir faithful squires were wont to roam the country in search ofadventure. 

Of course the younger element in the audience watched all this withexceeding interest. They doubtless sensed with that intuition boysalways display, that sooner or later there would necessarily come alongheaps of fighting, and stirring pictures, when those men in shiningarmor met in deadly combat. 

One by one, the scenes passed in review, and finally there was flashedupon the screen a picture of what seemed to be a veritable olden castle, true to tradition, turreted tower, drawbridge, portcullis, deep moat, apparently unscalable walls, and all. 

Just at this interesting juncture, as the music happened to die downtemporarily, a boy who had been around some was heard to say aloud, though he had not expected to make himself conspicuous:

"If that isn't the old place called Randall's Folly, I'll eat my hat!"

Walter Osborne gave Dud Morgan a quick dig in the ribs. 

"Hey! it's coming, you mark my words if it isn't!" he hissed in theother's ear. "Just look at Billy Worth there, bobbing up and down asif he might be sitting on tacks. And see how he grins, and looksprouder than a turkey gobbler. Something's going to break loose rightaway, Bud, believe me. "

Well, it did. 

When presently, after that first onslaught of the gallant followers ofthe hero knight, the motion-picture players were seen to be "restingup" between acts, and those who had been injured in the fracas werebeing attended to, a shout arose. 

"Hey! what's this I see?" yelled a boy's strident voice. "Rightthere along with all them knights and ladies there's a Boy Scout helpingtake care of the fellows knocked out in that scrap. And, say, it'sour own Arthur Cameron, would you believe it?"

"And there's Hugh! Yes, and look at our Billy Worth strutting aroundthere as big as life. Oh, you Billy, it takes, you to get in, thelimelight every time!"

All sorts of shouts were rising in different parts of the hall as theaudience discovered the well-known lads belonging to their own town. Most of them began to understand now why those fellows had persistedin keeping so mute. Evidently they must have known that this wonderfulpicture was coming in time to be shown at the benefit performance. 

Everybody was eagerly waiting to see what followed. When the wallfell there was a series of low exclamations of horror, for they wereintelligent enough to realize that this had not been a part of thereal programme, and also that the chances were some of the unfortunatesmust have been severely injured. 

Then came the picture revealing how the five scouts sprang forwardand assisted in the work of rescuing those caught by the falling rocks;also how Arthur, as might be expected, did his part in taking careof the injured. How proud many of those present felt at seeing themanly way in which Hugh and his comrades rose to the occasion, anddid their calling great credit. 

A tense stillness followed those loud cheers, for, an announcementhad been displayed relating how, owing to a shift of the wind, thefire had spread, causing a sudden evacuation of the forces battlingin the passages and rooms of the castle; and also how through somemisfortune the lovely heroine was really and truly caught up therein that lonely tower room, hemmed in by the cruel flames. 

Then, as the startling scene moved on, the five hundred eager spectatorssaw Hugh lead his fellow scouts to the rescue---watched three of themvanish through that gaping window, to appear a little later on the roof, followed with strained eyes their furious attack on the roof of thetower, and finally saw them lower the lady in safety to the ground, where Billy and Arthur, and many of the motion-picture players, waitedto receive them. 

And last but not least, just as the scene closed, the three scoutswere discovered sliding swiftly down the rope past the hungry tonguesof fire. 

The triumph of the scouts was complete. Men shouted, boys shrilled, and women laughed and cried and kissed each other. Never before hadsuch excitement taken possession of an audience in Oakvale. How proudit made them to realize that their local organization was being advertisedall over the broad land, yes, even in other foreign lands as well, it might be, so that Oakvale would soon become famous because of itsscout troop. 

Through it all Hugh seemed to sit unmoved, though he shook hands withthe admiring crowds as they came up to offer congratulations, andlaughed heartily to see how Billy Worth strutted around, swelled withpride. 

"It was a whole lot of fun while it lasted, " Hugh was telling a bunchof the fellows, after the show was over. "But when a thing is donewith you can't extract much enjoyment out of the memory. What I'mmore concerned about right at this, minute is where we are going tofind another chance for an outing in the coming Thanksgiving holidays. I'd like some of you to get busy thinking up a scheme, that will justabout fill the bill. "

That somebody did engineer a plan along lines that promised to takesome of the fellows out of the beaten rut for the brief holidays, can be set down as certain, judging from the nature of the title ofthe succeeding volume of this series, "The Boy Scouts on the Rollof Honor, " and which, it is hoped; all who have enjoyed the presentstory will procure without delay. 

THE END