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.

"How would you like to try your hand at politics?" asked Mr. Emberg
of Larry, when they had finished their talk about the man at the
hut. "I haven't given you much chance at anything in that line, but
if you're going to be an all-'round newspaper man you'll have a lot
to do with politics."

"I think I'd like it," replied Larry.

Certainly this life was one of variety, one day at the wild scene of
a rescue from a wreck, and the next peacefully sent to talk to some
political leader.

"I want you to go up and have a talk with Jack Sullivan, the leader
of one of the Assembly districts," went on Mr. Emberg. "You've
probably read of the trouble in that district. Thomas Kilburn is a
new aspirant for the Assembly and he's fighting against the
re-nomination of William Reilly. Now Jack Sullivan is the leader of
that district, and whoever he decides to support will be elected.
That's the way politics are run in New York.

"It would be quite an item of news if we could find out whom
Sullivan is going to support. So far he has played foxy and no one
knows, not even the candidates themselves, I believe, though I have
an idea that Sullivan will swing to Reilly."

"How did Kilburn come to be in the race?" asked Larry.

"That's what we newspaper editors would like to know, and it's what
you reporters have to find out for us. There's something back of it
all. Sullivan wants something he thinks either Kilburn or Reilly
can give him, and that's why he's hol