Gale chuckled. “I was explaining to my friend here what you are doing in Baracoa,” he said. “And why you spend so much of your time hanging around Puerto Cabero.” Splendid as was his usual self-possession, Hawley was unable to refrain from giving a start of surprise at this announcement. But he was quickly on his guard. “That was very kind of you,” he said pleasantly. “What did you tell him?” Gale grinned. “I told him about the work you hope to do with your little camera.” The Camera Chap raised his eyebrows interrogatively. “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand,” he said quietly. “Oh, yes, you do,” the _News_ man rejoined, with an ironical laugh. “See here, Hawley, what’s the sense of our playing hide and seek with each other any longer? Wouldn’t it be a much more sensible idea for us to get together on this assignment? I need you and you need me, so what’s the matter with forming a partnership?” “A partnership to do what?” Gale’s reply made him wince. “To find old boy Felix, of course,” the _News_ man exclaimed boisterously. “To find Felix!” the Camera Chap repeated, with well-simulated bewilderment. Gale laughed raucously. “Still keeping up the bluff, eh? Don’t you suppose that I know what you’re here for? I must admit that you had me guessing at first, but as soon as I got that query from my office, I was wise right away. I knew then that we were both following up the same tip.” He chuckled. “Thought you were going to have it exclusive, eh? Well, as I’ve often told you before, the _Sentinel_ will have to get up mighty early in the morning to get ahead of the good old _News_.” “I’m afraid you’re telling me more than you ought to,” said the Camera Chap, making a valiant attempt to conceal his uneasiness. “You’ll be sorry to-morrow for slipping me these hints about this mysterious tip of yours.” The other grinned. “You think I’m feeling so good that I don’t realize what I’m doing, eh? Well, you’re mistaken about that. I wouldn’t be mentioning anything about Felix, now, if I wasn’t quite sure that I’m not slipping you anything that you don’t know.” He put his hand in his coat pocket. “Just to prove to you how sure I am that you and I are shinning up the same tree, I’ll show you the telegram I got from the office.” “Not now,” the Camera Chap protested hastily, with an involuntary glance toward the swaying figure of Captain Reyes. But the _News_ man went on fumbling in his pocket. “Can’t seem to find it,” he muttered thickly. “Wonder what the deuce I’ve done with it.” Then his face lighted up. “By Jove! I remember now. Can’t show you the query the office sent me about Felix being locked up in El Torro, Hawley, old scout, because I haven’t got it. I left it with old boy Portiforo.” The Camera Chap stared at him incredulously. “You did what?”