“What, then?” inquired Vic.
“His surroundings. There may be some figure, or building, or view that might give a hint as to where the picture was taken. Now, see here, you two had better go to the hotel. The three of us going back to the New Idea might excite suspicion. I’ll slip in quietly, watching out for the fellow who sat behind us there. Leave it to me to get what I’m after.”
“All right,” assented Vic, only somewhat dubiously. “The main thing, though, is to find out where the film was made. If you’ll let me, I’d hang around and run up against a couple of the boy ushers there. We worked together carrying in the chairs, you see. Maybe it’s generally known around the New Idea where the reels came from.”
“It’s not, that I know,” declared Pep.
“How do you know it, Pep?” asked Randy.
“From the fact that the name of the film maker wasn’t shown in announcing the reel. It’s an independent, in the first place—under cover, I’ll wager. Say, fellows, don’t waste my time. Let me try out my idea. There’ll be plenty to do after that to keep us thinking.”
Rather reluctantly Randy and Vic started in the direction of their hotel. Pep proceeded straight back to the Slavin playhouse. He knew a good deal about photo work and he had an excellent small camera. Once inside he waited in a rear seat until the third film ended. Then, the dispersing crowd out of the way, he selected a seat near the center aisle close to the front of the house, securing just the right focus on the stage.
Pep was so absorbed in his plans that he noticed little of those around as the first film played on the screen. When the camel film was announced. His eyes were in full use. Again he noticed that no credit was given to the maker of the film. What he was looking for was the introduction of some object, surroundings or person likely to give him a hint that could be followed down.
Pep kept the camera in his lap ready to raise, focus it and snap it at the right moment. He had kept it out of view when the lights were on. All of the time he held the camera in an unobtrusive way. He did not wish to excite suspicion or even attention.
From all that Pep could judge, the training scene in which half a dozen characters appeared had been enacted in some kind of an enclosure. He was disappointed in it. He did not like to let the slides pass by without catching the faces of the actors, which might count for something.