"But, Molly," Jack exclaimed, when he recovered his breath, "we'll have
to print the liveliest kind of an _Eagle_, or the _Inquirer_ will get
ahead of us. I'm going out, after supper, all over town, to pick up
news. If I can only find some boys I know here, they could tell me a
lot of good items. The boys know more of what's going on than anybody."

"I'd like to go with you," said Mary. "Stir around and find out all
you can."

"I know what to do," said Jack, with energy, and if he had really
undertaken to do all he proceeded to tell her, it would have kept him
out all night.

CHAPTER VIII.

CAUGHT FOR A BURGLAR.

Supper was ready when Jack and Mary went into the house, and Mrs.
Murdoch was eager that they should eat at once. She seemed very
placidly to take it for granted that things were going properly in the
_Eagle_ office. Her husband had been ill before, and the paper had
somehow lived along, and she was not the kind of woman to fret about it.

"He's been worrying," she said to Mary, "principally about town news.
He's afraid the _Inquirer_ 'll get ahead of you. It might be good to
see him."

"I'll see him," said Mary.

"Mary! Mary!" came faintly in reply to her kindly greeting. "Local
items, Mary. Society Notes--the flood--logs--bridges--dams--fires.
Brief Mention. Town Improvement Society--the Sociable--anything!"

"Jack will be out after news as soon as he eats his supper," said Mary.
"He'll find all there is to find. The printers did a splendid day's
work."

"The doctor says not to tell me about anything," said the sick man,
despondently. "You'll fill the paper somehow. Do the best you can,
till I get well."

She did not linger, for Mrs. Murdoch was already pulling her sleeve.
The three were soon seated at the table, and hardly was a cup of tea
poured before Mrs. Murdoch remarked:

"Mary," she said, "Miss Glidden called here to-day, with Mrs. Judge
Edwards, in her carriage. They were sorry to find you out. So did
Mrs. Mason, and so did Mrs. Lansing, and Mrs. Potter. They wanted you
to go riding, and there's a lawn-tennis party coming. I told them all
that Mr. Murdoch was sick, and you were editing the _Eagle_, and Jack
was, too. Miss Glidden's very fond of you, you know. So is Mrs.
Potter. Her husband wishes he knew what to send Jack for saving his
wife from being drowned."

This was delivered steadily but not rapidly, and Mary needed only to
say she would have been