Then came the story, almost as Larry had told it himself with all the energy he could throw into it, but dressed up in true reportorial style. Larry was as proud as if he had written it himself. “Who got the thief story?” he heard several reporters ask, after the first edition came out. “Our new member, Larry Dexter,” said Mr. Newton, pointing toward the copy boy. “Look out, fellows, or he’ll beat us at our own game.” “Well, it’s a good yarn all right,” said one of the men. “Wish I had seen it.” None of the other papers had anything like the story. They all had a mention of the occurrence, but most of them dismissed it with a few lines, embodying the mere police report of the matter, for unless there is the promise of something big in a police item some reporters content themselves with what the sergeant gives them. This time Larry had been instrumental in securing what was almost as good as an exclusive item. At the end of that week Larry found an extra dollar in his pay envelope. He went to Mr. Emberg, thinking a mistake had been made and that he had been given too much. “That’s for bringing in that story,” said the city editor. “It was worth that and more to us. You’ll get six dollars a week now instead of five dollars. You’ll find it pays to keep your eyes and ears open in this business.” “I’m going to be a reporter some day,” said Larry. “I’m studying nights now.” “Good!” exclaimed Mr. Emberg. “I’ll help you all I can, and if there’s a chance you shall have it. You have proved that you have a nose for news, which is something a number who think they are real reporters have not,” and Larry felt prouder than ever. It was several days after this that Mr. Emberg called Larry to him. At first the boy feared he had made some blunder and was about to be censured, but the smile on the city editor’s face soon reassured him. “I am going to give you a new line of work for to-day,” said Mr. Emberg. “I hope you will make out as well as you did with your story.” “I’ll try,” said Larry. “And I think you’ll succeed,” said Mr. Emberg. “I want you to go over to the Aldermanic Chamber in the City Hall. There’s an important hearing being held there to-day by the Legislative Committee on life insurance matters. Mr. Newton is covering it for us. You’ll find him there at the reporters’ table, and as fast as he has any copy ready you are to bring it over.” Larry thought this was rather easy work and wondered why the city editor laid so much stress on it. “You’ll have to be very quick,” went on Mr. Emberg, “for we want to get as much in the regular editions as possible. You must be very careful, too, about the copy. There will probably be a number of boys from other papers there, and sometimes they play tricks. If they could make you lose your copy, or get it away from you so as to delay us, they would do it and their papers would be glad of it. So be careful of the copy Mr. Newton gives you.”