“Great!” exclaimed Gale, a gleam of malicious satisfaction in his eyes. “I’ll enjoy taking an active part in the arrest, chief. I’m just as anxious as you are to see that chesty Camera Chap laugh out of the other side of his mouth. I’ve got several old scores to settle with him, and I wouldn’t miss this opportunity for a mint of money.”
They waited until Hawley was half a block ahead, then they crossed to the opposite sidewalk and followed him cautiously up Main Street, taking care to keep far enough back to prevent his recognizing them in case he should glance behind him.
But this precaution proved unnecessary, for the Camera Chap did not once turn his head in their direction. Apparently blissfully unconscious of the fact that he was being shadowed, he kept right on until he reached the white, domed building which housed the local government of Oldham.[Pg 47]
Here he halted and carefully surveyed the edifice, shifting his position several times as though he had difficulty in making up his mind which viewpoint would best serve his purpose.
Gale and the chief of police had ducked inside the doorway of a store. From this place of concealment they watched him closely, and a grunt of joyous anticipation came from Hodgins as they saw him remove the paper wrapping of the package in his hand and reveal a film camera.
“What did I tell you!” Gale whispered exultantly. “I knew I was right about the contents of that package. In another minute or so he’ll have snapshotted himself into jail.”
“He’s taken the picture already,” growled Hodgins. “I just seen him turn that little knob at the side of his camera; and he’s got the confounded thing pointed straight at the city hall. That’s plenty good enough for me.”
He was about to step out of the doorway, but Gale hastily pulled him back.
“Hold on, chief,” he whispered, smiling at the policeman’s ignorance of photography. “He hasn’t taken the picture yet. He’s merely focusing, and the law doesn’t forbid that. Wait until he squeezes the bulb and exposes the film. Then we’ll have the goods on him.
“And say, chief,” he added eagerly, “let me have a few words with him before you place him under arrest, will you?”