“I say!” gasped Dave vaguely—“what is this?”
“Moving picture,” replied the man briefly.
“Yes, it moved quick enough,” said Dave slowly. “Oh, I see now,” he added, as, a step advanced, he came in view of several persons near two automobiles down the valley, and in their midst a camera.
It was all plain to Dave in a moment. The persons he saw were acting out a motion picture. He had heard of these groups before. In the present instance they had selected a pretty natural spot as a framework for their acting. Dave had stumbled upon them at a moment when a particularly thrilling drama was in progress.
“Come on with us,” spoke the man who had played the Indian, looking Dave over curiously. “We’re going to have lunch, and if you’ll carry my traps down to the camp you shall have a snack.”
“Thank you,” replied Dave, greatly interested in the group, and nothing loth to accepting the invitation.
The man had motioned to a spot under a near tree where a satchel lay. It was open and he closed it, but not before Dave saw that it was filled with his acting wardrobe.
Dave followed after the two men. They soon reached the first automobile. Here a man, apparently the chauffeur and general utility man, was placing food on a piece of canvas spread on the ground as a tablecloth.
Nobody paid any attention to Dave, who set down the satchel as directed. The chauffeur had a large, well-filled hamper beside a tree stump which served for a table. Dave went up to him.
“Can’t I help you, mister?” he asked pleasantly.