“We are not printing it.”
Ned bowed his head as if to say: “Well, why not?”
“Let me be still franker and ask you: ‘Why do you object to the story being printed?’”
“Perhaps,” answered Ned, “if I may be equally candid, that is our business.”
The editor smiled unmoved.
“Are you not curious as to why I suppressed it? Why I did not see fit to print it?”
Not one of the boys, apparently, had taken this view of the situation. All, at once, felt a little abashed.
“I think I’ll have to ask your pardon. Of course you had a reason.”
“Purely selfish,” was the quick response of the manager. “Let me ask you one more question. Your secrecy suggests some particular plan or purpose. Do you care to tell me what that is?”
“It is a long-concealed secret,” explained Ned after a look at Alan and Bob. “I don’t see just why we should talk now!”