"Oh, I guess we can go on, after we quiet down a bit," Ruth said, and a little later she and her sister, with Paul, went through with the business of the play as originally laid down in the scenario.
"What a strange experience!" observed Ruth, as they were returning to the steamer.
"Wasn't it?" agreed Alice.
Mr. Pertell, after properly sympathizing with the girls, declared himself delighted with the unexpected film of the manatee.
"I tell you we didn't make any mistake coming to Florida," he said. "We'll get pictures here that no other company can touch."
And later this was found to be so, for the films made under the palms created quite a sensation when shown in New York.
Mr. DeVere, as usual, was somewhat perturbed when he learned what his daughters had gone through, and again expressed his doubts as to the advisability of keeping them in moving picture work.
"Oh, but that might have happened to anyone—if we were out after orchids, instead of being filmed," protested Alice. "I don't ever want to think of giving up this work."
"Nor do I!" added Ruth, with more energy than she usually exhibited.
The players were out in the palm forest. It was several days after the episode of the manatee, and the steamer, with a plentiful supply of wood fuel, had gone up another sluggish stream, some miles farther on.