“I’ll tell you later!”
“Once upon a time there was a very dumb, dumb boy,” began John, as they climbed aboard their boat and went to the cabin. “So dumb that cameras meant nothing in his young life! Phff—what was an expensive camera to him?”
“Listen and listen hard, John,” Stan said; “we’re playing a dangerous game for big stakes! A fifteen dollar camera is not to be considered as valuable compared to the films I have!”
“Films? Why they went to the bottom of the deep blue sea——”
“Not a bit of it! Here is the film!”
He showed the roll to his wondering chum and explained that when the men rowed over he had an idea that Hegarty suspected him and John and had sent for the film. Probably the men had been instructed to get the film. By being willing to let them take the camera for inspection Stan had thrown off suspicion. He was able to remove the film before giving the camera to the sailor, and knew that the empty camera would be prima facie evidence of guilt, so made sure the instrument went overboard!
Back on the Sea Hawk the two seamen stood “on the carpet” in fact and in figure. Hegarty was in a nasty mood.
“You going to stand there and tell me that kid handed you the camera and you dropped it?”
“Well it was this way, Boss——”
Hegarty fixed them with a stare.