Why had he paid for them, then? Dinville knew what he was about.
He reached for a sheet of copy-paper and wrote the following dispatch—
WHALE - OF - BIG - STORY. - INFORMANT - A - KID. - WORTH - SENDING - KID - NEW - YORK - PAPER'S - EXPENSE - IF - AUTHORIZED. - DINVILLE.
He filed it in the cable office without delay.
Before midnight he got a reply.
IF - KID - HAS - THE - GOODS - SEND - NEW - YORK - AT - ONCE.
"Here," said Dinville aloud, as he read the cablegram, "is where Little Willie was a wise guy in buying that kid's story. He'll land in here tomorrow like a bear going to a honey-tree."
His diagnosis was correct to the letter. Early the next morning Stuart came bursting in, full of importance. He had spruced up a little, though the four dollars he had got from Dinville the night before was not sufficient for new clothes.
"Say," he said, the minute he entered the office, "Mr. Dinville, I've got a corker!"
"So?" queried the reporter, lighting a cigar and putting his feet on the desk in comfortable attitude for listening. "Fire away!"