Thus it came about that a week after the Camera Chap’s arrival in San Cristobal, Gale received a dispatch, the laconic but comprehensive contents of which caused him to seek an immediate interview with his host, the United States minister to Baracoa.
Minister Throgmorton was in his library in conversation with a tall, bearded man, when Gale knocked on the door. “I beg your pardon, I didn’t know you were busy,” the News man said. “Perhaps I’d better come back later. It isn’t anything important.”
“Come right in,” the United States representative responded genially. “I want you to meet General Replife, minister of war in President Portiforo’s cabinet. General, permit me to present my friend, Mr. Gale, a New York journalist of distinction. Now, Gale, what can I do for you?”
“It is nothing important,” Gale repeated. “I merely wanted to ask you whether it would be possible for you to get me a pass to go through the fortress of El Torro.”
“El Torro!” exclaimed Minister Throgmorton sharply. “For what reason do you want to go there?”
Gale shrugged his shoulders. “Merely on a sightseeing tour, sir,” he replied, conscious, as he spoke, that the dark eyes of General Replife were fixed scrutinizingly on his face. “I’ve heard that it is an interesting sort of place, and I shouldn’t like to return to New York without being able to say that I had included it among the places I visited.”
Minister Throgmorton frowned. He was a stout, pompous little man, with an odd little gray beard, which sprouted from his chin like a miniature whisk broom. “I am afraid that is out of the question,” he said. “I believe visitors are not welcome at El Torro, eh, general?”
The minister of war bowed. “There is a strictly enforced rule to that effect, señor,” he replied.
“I know there is,” said Gale, smiling. “That is why I have come to you, Mr. Throgmorton, to ask you to use your pull to get me in.” He hesitated; then, with a sudden show of candor: “I might as well be quite frank with you, sir. It isn’t merely idle curiosity which makes me desirous of visiting the fortress. I don’t know whether I have mentioned it to you before, but the study of prisons has always been my hobby. I have visited nearly all the big jails in the United States, and some in foreign countries. Some day I hope to get up a magazine article on the subject.”
“Ah!” exclaimed General Replife, addressing the minister. “Then it is the dungeons of El Torro, not the fortifications, in which your friend is interested? I think that might be arranged, Señor Throgmorton. If you will vouch for this gentleman, there will be no objection to his being shown through the prison part of the fortress. I will make out a permit now.”