So they joined the circle around the temporary “hospital.”  The doctor had not allowed the anxious crowd to press in too closely, for he understood the value of plenty of fresh air and working room when engaged in cases of this kind.  Besides, most of the picture players knew from former experiences what they must do, and were only eager to be of any possible help.

Even the women, clad in their strange gowns of a bygone age, and wearing astonishing head-dresses and shoes, showed remarkable courage.  Their nerves had been steeled by long association with perils of various types, so that they manifested none of the weaknesses people expect to find in connection with the gentler sex.  One of the leading actresses was assisting in washing quite an ugly wound that a poor fellow had received in his arm.  He seemed to be bearing his suffering like a hero, and acted as though he rather enjoyed having one of the heroines play 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 was doing fine work, of which no one need be ashamed.

And all of this remarkable happening was being faithfully recorded upon the rapidly shifting thousand feet of film in the hopper of the machine, to later on astonish gaping crowds with a faithful delineation of 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 short time later, as Alec and Monkey Stallings joined him, while there was an unusual bustle among the numerous retinue of the hard-working stage manager.

“Not on your life, Billy,” observed Alec, “though I’m all in myself so far as taking any more wonderful pictures goes, because I’ve used my last film, which I consider hard luck.  Hugh just told me the worst is yet to come.”

“What! are they going to make out to burn the old castle down?  Is that worrying you, Alec?” asked the Stallings boy.

“Sure it is,” frankly confessed Alec.  “Of course, the fire will be a whole lot of a fake; that is, much smoke, and no real danger to the girl shut up in that high turret room; but, all the same, it’s going to do considerable harm to the building, which may queer it for Aunt Susan’s purposes.”

“Well, what can you say?” demanded Billy.  “These people have put up the money to cover any damage they may do, and money talks every time.  Here comes Hugh back to tell us what the programme is.  He’s just left that hustler of a director, and the chances are Hugh knows all 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.