"Your friend got a calling down," volunteered the operator to Larry, as the young reporter began looking up trains to see when he could get back. "How's that?" "He got a message from his city editor a while ago, wanting to know why he hadn't secured a list of passengers and the crew. The message said the _Leader_ had it, and had beaten all the other papers." "That's good," spoke Larry. "I worked hard enough for it." "The _Scorcher_ man wanted me to give him your list, but I wouldn't do it," the operator went on. "So he's gone out to get one of his own. But he's too late, I reckon. I'll have my hands full pretty soon, for there'll be a lot of reporters here. But you're the first to send off the complete story." Larry felt much elated. Of course he knew it was due, in part, to the forethought of his city editor in seeing a possible situation, and rushing a man to the scene ahead of the other papers. That counts for almost as much in journalism as does getting a good story or a "scoop." Larry received hearty congratulations from Mr. Emberg when he got back to the _Leader_ office the next day, for, not only had the young reporter secured a fine "scoop," but he had sent in an exceptionally good story of the wreck. "Larry, you did better than I thought you would. You've got the right stuff in you!" exclaimed the city editor, while the other reporters, crowding around the hero of the occasion, expressed, their pleasure at his success. Not one of them but would have given much to have been in Larry's place. "Have much trouble?" asked Mr. Newton. "Well, I had to hustle. Struck something rather queer down there, too." "What was it? Some of the men from other papers try to get the best of you?" "Only my old enemy, Peter Manton, but I put a crimp in him all right. No, this was something else." And Larry told of the disappearance of the man at the hut. "That is rather odd," agreed the older reporter. "If I were you I'd tell Mr. Emberg about it, and then you'll be in a position to act on what information you have, in case anything turns up." Larry followed this advice. The city editor puzzled over the matter a few minutes, and then decided nothing could be done at present. "We'll watch developments in regard to the _Olivia_ wreck," said Mr. Emberg, "and it may be this mystery will fit in somewhere. If it does we may get a good story." But neither Larry nor the city editor realized in what a strange manner the mystery was to develop. It was the beginning of the newspaper day in the _Leader_ office. Reporters were busy writing accounts of meetings they had covered the previous night, and others were going out on assignments to police courts, to look up robberies, murders, suicides, and the hundred and one things that go to make up the news of the day.