“Is there much more for her to do?” Helen asked, with renewed interest.
“Several scenes—and some of them most important. Mr. Hooley can not give all his time to her. I am trying to coach her in them. But there is so much going on here at the island——”
“Why not take her away to some other place and just pound it into her?”
“Not to the Kingdom of Pipes!” laughed Ruth suddenly.
“No. Let the old pirate have that place to his heart’s content. But there are other islands.”
“True enough. Fourteen hundred of them.”
“Come on!” exclaimed the energetic Helen. “Let’s get Willie and the Gem and go somewhere with Wonota. You’ve all day to hammer at her. Get your continuity and try to get it into Wonota’s head that she is deeply and desperately in love with Grand.”
In spite of Helen’s brusk way of speaking, Ruth decided that her idea might be well worth following. Helen took some knitting and a parasol—and a hamper. Ruth gathered her necessary books and script; and likewise got Wonota. Then they boarded the launch and Willie took them up the river to a tiny islet not far from the Kingdom of Pipes, after all.
“I don’t see anybody moving over there,” Helen remarked, as Willie landed them at the islet selected. She was looking at the island on which Ruth had had her adventure with the King of the Pipes. “It looks deserted enough. We might have gone there just as well as not.”
“I feel as well satisfied to keep away from that queer old fellow,” her chum said.