Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 39).djvu/729

 "Well, here we are," he said, flicking breezily at George's leg with his cane.

"I saw you," said George, coldly, sidestepping.

"The whole team," continued Mr. Mifflin; "all bright, bonny, and trained to the minute."

"What happened after I left?" George asked. "Has anybody begun to act yet? Or are they waiting till the dress-rehearsal?"

"The rehearsals," admitted Mr. Mifflin, handsomely, "weren't perfect; but you wait. It'll be all right on the night."

George thought he had never heard such a futile, vapid remark.

"Besides," said Mr. Mifflin, "I have an idea which will make the show. Lend me your ear—both ears. You shall have them back. Tell me: what pulls people into a theatre? A good play? Sometimes. But, failing that, as in the present case, what? Fine acting by the leading juvenile? We have that, but it is not enough. No, my boy; advertisement is the thing. Look at all these men on the beach. Are they going to roll in of their own free wills to see a play like 'The Footpills'? Not on your life. About the time the curtain rises every man of them will be sitting in his own private corner of the beach"

"How many corners do you think the beach has?"

"Gazing into a girl's eyes, singing, 'Shine on, thou harvest moon,' and telling her how his boss is practically dependent on his advice. You know."

"I don't," said George, coldly.

"Unless," proceeded Mr. Mifflin, "we advertise. And by advertise, I mean advertise in the right way. We have a Press-agent, but for all the good he does he might be back on the old farm, gathering in the hay. Luckily for us, I am among those present. I have brains. I have resource. What's that?"

"I said nothing."

"I thought you did. Well, I have an idea which will drag these people like a magnet. I thought it out coming down in the train."

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you later. There are a few details to be worked upon first. Meanwhile, let us trickle to the sea-front and take a sail in one of those boats. I am at my best in a boat. I rather fancy Nature intended me for a Viking."

Matters having been arranged with the financier to whom the boat belonged, they set forth. Mr. Mifflin, having remarked "Yo-ho!" in a meditative voice, seated himself at the helm, somewhat saddened by his failure to borrow a quid of tobacco from the Ocean's Beauty's proprietor. For, as he justly observed, without properties and make-up, where were you? George, being skilled in the ways of boats, was in charge of the sheet.

The summer day had lost its oppressive heat. The sun no longer beat down on the face of the waters. A fresh breeze had sprung up. George, manipulating the sheet automatically, fell into a reverie. A moment comes in the life of every man when an inward voice whispers to him, "This is The One!" In George's case the voice had not whispered; it had shouted. From now onward there could be but one woman in the world for him. From now onward The Ocean Beauty gave a sudden plunge. George woke up.

"What the deuce are you doing with that tiller?" he inquired.

"My gentle somnambulist," said Mr. Mifflin, aggrieved. "I was doing nothing with this tiller. We will now form a commission to inquire into what you were doing with that sheet. Were you asleep?"

"My fault," said George; "I was thinking."

"If you must break this habit of a lifetime," said Mr. Mifflin, complainingly, "I wish you would wait till we get ashore. You nearly upset us."

"It sha'n't happen again. They are tricky, these sailing boats—turn over in a second. Whatever you do, don't get her broadside on. There's more breeze out here than I thought there was."

Mr. Mifflin uttered a startled exclamation.

"What's the matter?" asked George.

"Just like a flash," said Mr. Mifflin, complacently. "It's always the way with me. Give me time, and the artistic idea is bound to come. Just some little thought, some little, apparently obvious, idea which stamps the man of genius. It beats me why I didn't think of it before. Why, of course, a costume piece with a male star is a hundred times more effective."

"What are you talking about?"

"I see now," continued Mr. Mifflin, "that there was a flaw in my original plan. My idea was this. We were talking in the train about the bathing down here, and Jane happened to say she could swim some, and it suddenly came to me."

Jane was the leading woman, she who omitted to give cues.