Leaving Percival, who was his principal chum among the Hilltop boys, Jack went on his wheel to Riverton, the town nearest to the Academy, and called in at the office of the News where he found the editor, Mr. Brooke, pecking away at a typewriter in his sanctum, using two fat fingers only in doing his writing rather than all of them as an expert would do.
Brooke had learned to use the machine in that way, however, and would adopt no other, although he had been shown by Jack, who was a rapid writer on a machine, and could compose on it, that he could do much faster work by the other method.
"How do you do, Sheldon?" said Brooke, looking up. "Got any news?"
"What are you going to do with that little gasolene engine that you used to run your little presses with?" asked Jack.
"I don't know, sell it, I guess. It isn't good for much except junk."
"How much do you want for it?"
"Oh, you can have it if you think you can do anything with it," said the editor carelessly.
"No, I don't want it for nothing. I'll pay you for it."
"What are you going to do with it? It's too little to run any but the small presses. Ain't going to start a paper, are you?"
"No. I can fix it up so as to make it do good work. I want to put it in a motor-boat."