“I feel sure that she will consent,” the girl replied. “She doesn’t know yet of Mr. Gale’s interview with Portiforo. When she hears of it, she will be willing to do anything in her power to avert this new menace. And she is bound to be impressed with your ingenious plan. It was really very clever of you to think of it, Mr. Hawley, and I want to thank you for making my heart much lighter than it was when I came out here. I felt, then, that all was lost.”
Then, suddenly, her face clouded. “But, after all,” she said sadly, “even though we succeed in reassuring Portiforo, that isn’t getting poor President Felix out of prison.” She looked at the Camera Chap wistfully. “Don’t you think that you’ll soon be able to find a way of getting that picture, Mr. Hawley?”
The Camera Chap smiled. “I am going to whisper a little secret,” he said; “I believe I have found a way already. I was out in the harbor in the motor boat this morning, taking another peep at El Torro, and, suddenly, an inspiration came to me as to how the thing might be done. It is a good plan, and I feel confident that it would succeed; but in order to carry it out, I shall have to find a partner—preferably a woman.”
“Preferably a woman!” Virginia caught him up eagerly. “Well, you won’t have to look very far, Mr. Hawley. What’s the matter with me?”
“You!” he exclaimed, as though the thought had never even remotely suggested itself to him. “Do you mean to say that you’re ready to volunteer, Miss Throgmorton, without even knowing what the job calls for?”
“I don’t care what it calls for,” she responded, her eyes flashing. “If there’s anything that I can do to help get poor President Felix free, I’m eager to do it. Won’t you let me help you, Mr. Hawley?”
“I’ll consider your application,” he replied gravely. “That’s the best I can promise now. But, first, we must attend to the business of getting rid of Gale. We can’t do anything until we’ve made him believe that President Felix isn’t in El Torro.”
CHAPTER XX.
WHAT GALE OVERHEARD.
The morning after his dinner with President Portiforo found Gale in a very unsettled frame of mind. Save for a severe headache, he had fully recovered from the effects of the elaborate banquet which the President of Baracoa had given in his honor, and he retained a clear recollection of the conversation which had passed between him and his host. It was that conversation which now puzzled him.
Portiforo had discussed the startling rumor about Felix with, apparently, the utmost frankness. In fact, it was he himself who had broached the subject. Over the cigars and coffee he had surprised Gale by abruptly inquiring, with a quizzical smile, how that young man was getting along in his quest for the missing President Baracoa. Quickly recovering his self-possession, the reporter had attempted to deny that he was interested in any such quest. Then Portiforo had laughed, and told him that he might as well own up, as he was fully aware of the real cause of Gale’s recent tour of inspection through El Torro fortress.