“Then I’ll come at once,” replied the reporter.
He was soon at Larry’s house, and to say that he was surprised at the sight of the diamonds is putting it mildly.
“What will you do next, youngster?” he asked of Larry, with a laugh. “This is the biggest thing yet. Every detective in the city is wearing his eyes out looking for these, and here you stumble across them. Well, I should say it was a story!”
The reporter agreed to take charge of the jewels over night, as he had a safe at home.
“I suppose we ought to return them at once,” he said, “but if we do the morning papers will have the story ahead of us, and that would never do. We must get a beat out of this.”
And they did. The next day the Leader had a big story of the find, giving Larry due credit. It did not mention, however, that the boy was working for the paper. The story was held back until the last edition, and none of the other afternoon sheets had a line about it.
The jewels were taken to Mr. Reynolds, who, true to his promise, made out a check for one thousand dollars, which was given to Larry. It was a long while before the thieves were caught, and their capture was brought about in a peculiar manner.
“What will I ever do with the money?” Larry asked.
“Put it in the bank as the start for another thousand,” said Mr. Newton.
“I have a better plan than that,” replied the boy.