elephone this in, and I guess
it will be a beat. To think that after all that I have Retto where I
want him. I'm sorry, of course, that he's hurt, but I guess he can't
get out of the hospital very soon. I'll have a chance to question
him. Then I'll make him tell me where Mr. Potter is, and that will
end my special assignment. I'll not be sorry, either. It's been a
hard one, though I'm glad I got it, for the experience is fine."

Thus musing Larry looked for a telephone station and soon the story
of Retto's accident was being sent over the wire to the city editor.

"This will make a fine lead for our Potter story," said Larry, as he
finished telling of the accident.

"I've got another plan," said Mr. Emberg.

"What is it?"

"Do you think anyone else knows who Retto is? I mean anyone on the
pier who saw him hurt?"

"I think not. Captain Tantrella might, but other reporters are not
likely to connect him with the case."

"Then this is what I'm going to do. I'll use the story of the
accident separate from the Potter story. We'll say an unidentified
man was run down on the pier. If he has a fractured skull he'll not
be able to tell who he is, and he has probably taken good care that
there are no papers in his clothes by which his name can be learned.

"If we state that the injured man is the mysterious Retto, who is
mixed up in the Potter case, we'll have every reporter in New York
camping out at that hospital waiting for a chance to get the
information from him. If we keep quiet we may be able to get it
ourselves without any of the others knowing it. We'll try that way,
Larry. It's a risk, but you've got to take risks in this business."

The young reporter admired the generalship of his city editor, who
could thus plan a magnificent beat. Larry saw the feasibility of the
plan. If he kept his information to himself no one would know but
what the injured man was a stranger in New York, and that he was
connected with the Potter case would be farthest from the thoughts
of any reporters who were working on the missing millionaire story.

"You must camp on his trail, Larry," Mr. Emberg went on. "As soon as
you hear from the hospital people that he is in shape to talk, get
in to see him. You can truthfully claim to be a friend and
acquaintance, for you once helped to save his life. If you get a
chance to talk to him, ask where Potter is, and let us know at once.
We'll get out an extra, if need be. Now hurry over to the