"If you do this in bang-up shape," Dave went on enthusiastically, "it's likely to be the making of you!"
"How?" queried Dick, turning around to his chum.
"Why, success on a big story would fairly launch you in journalism.
It would provide your career as soon as you're through High School."
"I don't want a career at the end of the High School course," Dick returned. "I'm going further, and try to fare better in life."
"Wouldn't you like to be a newspaper man for good?" demanded Dave.
"Not on a small-fry paper, anyway" replied Prescott. "Why, Bradley is news editor, and has been in the business for years. He gets about thirty dollars a week. I don't believe Pollock, who has charge of the paper, gets more than forty-five. That isn't return enough for a man who is putting in his whole life at the business."
"Thirty dollars has the sound of pretty large money," mused Dave. "As for forty-five, if that's what Mr. Pollock gets, look at the comfort he lives in at his club; and he's a real estate owner, too."
"Yes," Dick admitted. "But that's because Pollock follows two callings. He's an editor and a dealer in real estate. As for me, I'd rather put all my energies into one line of work."
"Then you believe you're going to earn more money than Pollock does?" questioned Dave, rather wonderingly.
"If I pick out a career for income," Dick responded, "I do intend to go in for larger returns. But I may go into another calling where the pay doesn't so much matter."