“Certainly not,” Gale replied in an aggrieved tone. “Don’t you give me credit for having any breeding?” Except for this slightly unpleasant incident, Gale and the Camera Chap got along well together until the _Eldorado_ stopped at San Juan, Porto Rico. There the _News_ man made a queer discovery. When the vessel weighed anchor and started out for her trip to New York, Hawley was not on board. He had gone ashore, explaining that he desired to make a purchase, and had mysteriously disappeared. When the ship’s officers and the other passengers learned of this disappearance, they were inclined to believe that the snapshot man’s failure to show up was entirely accidental. But Gale, evidently, was not of that opinion, for, with a malicious smile on his face, he hurried to the wireless room and sent off a dispatch. The message was addressed: “Portiforo, National Palace, San Cristobal,” and ran as follows: “Hawley missing at San Juan. Have reason to believe he is on his way back to Baracoa. Look out for him. “GALE.” After sending this warning to the sly fox at Baracoa he felt more cheerful. He had not a desire in the world to help the president of the little southern republic in any way; it was entirely his own satisfaction that was to be furthered by his actions. CHAPTER XXXVI. A WELCOME INTRUSION. The day after Hawley’s departure from Baracoa, Lieutenant Ridder called at the United States legation with a message from the commander of the _Kearsarge_ to Minister Throgmorton. On his way out, he encountered Virginia, and eagerly availed himself of the opportunity to renew his acquaintance with that captivating young woman. The naval officer was flattered by the cordiality which she displayed toward him, but was astonished and concerned to observe that when he mentioned the name of his friend Hawley a frown came to her face and she hurriedly changed the subject, as though it were distasteful to her. He went back to his ship wondering what could have happened to bring about this change in her sentiments toward the man for whom she had previously manifested such warm regard. If Virginia had been asked to explain why she was displeased with the Camera Chap, she probably would have found difficulty in stating her grievance against him. As she had told him, she could not with logic or justice blame him for going away, knowing what would happen to him if he ventured to remain on Baracoan soil. Yet she was disappointed in him, and his departure had aroused within her a feeling of resentment. Possibly it was because he had appeared to accept the situation with such irritating cheerfulness, or it may have been that she had formed such an exalted opinion of his heroic qualities that she had half expected--unreasonable though she knew such expectation to be--that, at the last moment, he would defy Portiforo and his order of banishment and not leave Baracoa without making one more attempt to rescue the unfortunate prisoner of El Torro.