human
Motion-picture actors at work!
gpt
Oh! did you ever hear of such a thing?
human
Sure thing! added Arthur, grinning now.
gpt
That chap is the camera man---what is it they call it, a cinematoscope or something that way. He's been grinding like mad while all that battle on the walls was taking place. And I can see him laughing from here, as if that last scrap pleased him a whole lot.
human
Well, if that don't beat everything! said Monkey Stallings, in mingled awe and delight.
gpt
To think of a company finding out about that queer old imitation castle, and coming all the way up here so as to stage one of their Shakespeare plays around it!
human
And look at all the actors they've gone and fetched along with them, will you? Billy went on to say.
gpt
Why, there must be scores of men and women there, all dressed in fancy costumes. Gee! it must cost _rafts_ of money to stage just one of those dramas.
human
Oh! said Hugh;
gpt
Say, here's our same old luck come along again, fellows! declared Arthur, as though it gave him a tremendous amount of satisfaction to realize it.
human
I've always had a sort of hankering after a chance to learn just how these queer people managed when staging one of their plays, and as sure as you live we're in a fair way to find out now.
gpt
Was there ever anything so strange as our being up here just at the time they came to play their game? demanded Monkey Stallings.
human
Why, it begins to look as if they must have engaged the old castle especially to cast their play here, and make it seem the real stuff, don't you think so, Hugh?
gpt
That's not so very remarkable, after all, ventured Hugh, as all of them continued to stare at the many moving figures, apparently resting for the next stage in the exciting drama that was being reeled off.
human
I understand that all those big companies have spies out everywhere about the country.
gpt
Spies! echoed Billy;
human
There's a tremendous amount of competition afloat between the numerous companies, explained the other.
gpt
They are looking for all sorts of queer settings for their plays. Houses have to be burned down, bridges blown up, railroad trains ditched, and all manner of stunts pulled off to satisfy the public greed for thrilling spectacles.
human
That's it, he said disconsolately,
gpt
But you've got your pictures to show for it, Alec, Hugh told him, consolingly,
human
Say, that's right, Hugh, and thank you for reminding me I'm carrying that same camera at this very minute. What's to hinder me snapping off a few pictures on my own account of what's going on over there? What do you say to that, Hugh?
gpt
I should say you'd be foolish not to take the chance,