, is the insertion of a
piece of news in the last edition of a paper. It is made by taking
one plate from the press, removing or "lifting" a comparatively
unimportant item of news from the form, inserting the new item,
which was received too late for the regular edition, making a new
plate, and starting the press again. It is done rather than print an
entire new edition, and is sometimes used when some other paper gets
a beat or piece of news which your paper must have, or in case of an
accident happening after the last edition has gone to press.

"The _Star_ lifted our story almost word for word," said Mr. Emberg.
"Guess they didn't take the trouble to confirm it. The morning
sheets will probably try to discount it."

Which was exactly what they did. Some had what purported to be
interviews with Sullivan, denying that he had said he was going to
support Reilly. Others showed, editorially and otherwise, how
nonsensical it would be for Sullivan to throw his influence to any
one but Kilburn.

"I hope you haven't made any mistake, Larry," said Mr. Emberg the
next day. "If you misquoted Sullivan it means a bad thing for our
paper."

"I quoted him correctly."

At that moment the telephone on Mr. Emberg's desk rang and he
answered it.

"Dexter?" he repeated. "Yes, we have a reporter of that name here."
Larry was all attention at once. "Who wants him? Oh, Mr. Sullivan?
Is this Mr. Sullivan? Well, this is the city editor of the _Leader_.
I see some of the papers are denying our story. Our account is about
correct, eh? Well, I'm glad of it. Yes, I'll send Mr. Dexter to see
you right away.

"Sullivan wants to see you, Larry," went on Mr. Emberg, hanging up
the telephone receiver. "This may be a big thing. Go slow and be
careful of what he says. Don't let him bluff you."

"You're getting right into politics," said Mr. Newton to Larry, as
the young reporter prepared to go out.

"Yes, and I'm afraid I'll get into water where I can't swim."

"Don't let that worry you. You've got to learn, and in New York
politics is the most important news of all."

Larry found Sullivan in the same place where he had secured the
momentous interview. The Assembly leader nodded to the boy, and then
picked up a copy of the paper which contained an account of the talk
with Sullivan.

"You made quite a yarn of this," Sullivan remarked.

"Yes, it was a good story."

"A little too good," went on the politician. "You got me into hot
wate