“Are you willing to make a bargain?
“Always—when the balance of trade is on my side.”
“Well, if you give me a fair start, I’ll give you some exclusive information that you can’t get otherwise.”
“What is it?”
“Oh, I wasn’t born yesterday, Dick.”
“That is interesting information, Jimmy, but I knew it before. Haven’t you something more attractive to offer?”
“Yes, I have. I have the whole account of the expedition and the fight written out, all ready to send, if I could get my clutches on a telegraph wire. I’ll hand it over to you, and allow you to read it, if you will get me out of this hole, as you call it. I’ll give you permission to use the information in any way you choose, if you will extricate me, and all I ask is a fair start in the race for a telegraph office.”
Yates pondered over the proposition for some moments.
“I’ll tell you what I’ll do, Jimmy,” he finally said. “I’ll buy that account from you, and give you more money than the Blade will. And when I get back to New York I’ll place you on the staff of the Argus at a higher salary than the Blade gives you—taking your own word for the amount.”
“What! And leave my paper in the lurch? Not likely.”