"My idea," announced Mr. Pertell, in explaining some matters to his company, "is to portray briefly the story of the East and West, and to show how the civilization of the East made its way West. I want to show the various sports and industries of both sections, as well as various phases of life and science. Automobiling will be one and——"
"Don't say airships!" interrupted Mr. Sneed.
"That's just what I was going to say," finished Mr. Pertell, with a smile. "I will want some of you to take a trip in an airship. But that will come later."
"I'll never go up!" declared the "grouch."
"Well, we'll settle that later," the manager went on. "Just at present I am going to have some automobile pictures made, and in one of them an auto containing you young ladies," he looked at Ruth and Alice, "goes to smash down a steep hill and over a cliff."
"Oh!" cried Ruth, clutching at her heart.
"How exciting!" exclaimed Alice, apparently not in the least disturbed.
"Yes," said Mr. Pertell, with a smile. "But don't worry. This will be a 'substitute' film. That is, you'll be in the auto up to a certain point. The chauffeur loses control of it, and it starts to run away down hill. Then it is stopped, the camera is closed for a moment until we substitute an old auto for the real one in which you are. There are dummy figures in the old auto, and they are the ones that go to smash over the cliff. Think you can work that, Russ?"
"Oh, yes, I've done those trick pictures before. Where are you going to plant the smash?"
"Oh, over in Jersey. There are several places in the Orange Mountains that will answer. Near Eagle Rock is a good place."