“Just keep on seeing things that way,” said the city editor. And without another word he picked up the story and the photographs and walked away.
Jimmy left the office somewhat puzzled and almost disconsolate. He felt sure his effort had been a failure. The city editor had not said one good word about it. And yet what did he mean by telling Jimmy to “keep on seeing things that way”? Jimmy was sorely puzzled. But if he could have seen where the city editor went and what he did with the story, Jimmy would have been amazed. For Mr. Davis went straight to the managing editor and laid the manuscript and the pictures on the latter’s desk. All he said was this: “Here is a story young Donnelly just wrote. He flew over to Ringtown to get a follow-up on this morning’s A. P. despatch about the parachute jump of a mail pilot there last night. I wish you’d read it.”
But Jimmy had no way of knowing this, and even if he had had he would hardly have understood the significance of the thing. He could hardly have known what it meant for the city editor thus to call the attention of the managing editor to a story before it got into type. But Jimmy would have been well enough pleased if he could have heard Mr. Johnson mutter to himself, after carefully reading the story, “Well, I guess we made no mistake in making a reporter out of Donnelly. I’ll tell the city editor to try him out on something bigger than the assignments he has been getting.”
So was illustrated the law that “To him that hath shall be given.” Jimmy had demonstrated his ability. And as is always the case, a display of ability was soon followed by greater opportunity.
CHAPTER V
The Long Flight to a Fire
Jimmy’s next chance was not long in coming. A few days after he made his successful trip to Ringtown, Jimmy was called to the telephone in his hangar. Mr. Johnson was speaking.
“We have just had a ‘flash’ from Cleveland,” he said, “to the effect that there has been a terrible disaster in a hospital there. The burning of X-ray films filled the hospital with deadly gases, and apparently scores of people have been killed. We are getting the A. P. service, but the story is so big we should like to have our own man on the spot. I am sending Frank Handley over to you. Be prepared to take off the moment he arrives. You are to cooperate with him in handling the story. Handley knows exactly what I want and will give you directions. We especially want good pictures. In all probability the wires will be clogged with the volume of news matter filed. I am sending you to make sure that we get our story and the pictures. Get them back any way you can—by wire or by plane. But get them back. That is the important thing. Handley is already on his way and should reach you very soon.”
“I’ll be ready for him, Mr. Johnson,” said Jimmy, “and I’ll do my level best to carry out your orders. What is my deadline?”
“We want to be sure to catch the state edition. The presses start at midnight sharp. You ought to be here by eleven, and you must be here by eleven-thirty at the latest.”