“Is he going to perform one of those operations on lame children?” asked Larry of Mr. Newton, as they were in the elevated train going uptown.
“Yes, he’s going to try and cure a bad spinal trouble that a daughter of Mr. Smyington, the millionaire, is afflicted with,” said the reporter. “He has been very successful in all the cases he has undertaken, and he was brought over to this country especially to operate on this one case.”
“It must cost a lot of money,” said Larry.
“Mr. Smyington is paying ten thousand dollars,” said Mr. Newton.
Larry said nothing, but he sighed in a way that made Mr. Newton wonder what the boy was worrying about.
“Ten thousand dollars,” said Larry softly to himself. “That’s an awful lot of money, and I have only one thousand.”
“Here’s where you get off and change cars,” said Mr. Newton, after about half an hour’s riding. “Just go right in the house where Dr. Carrolton is staying, and if any one asks you what you want, say you’re from the Leader. The physician is partial to newspaper men and I guess you’ll have little trouble getting a photograph.”
Larry experienced no difficulty in reaching the rooms of the great doctor. But there he was met by a secretary, who seemed to be in bad temper.
“Tell your business by me,” he said to Larry. “The doctor cannot bother mit every boy what comes along.”
Larry explained his errand.