LARRY’S ADVANCEMENT
Almost as rapidly as it had risen the flood went down. The storm
ceased and the waters, finding many places to run to, soon disposed of
themselves. The day after Larry won the race that was to mean so much
to him the part of the town around the hotel was almost free from the
flood.
“The worst is over,” said Mr. Newton. “We’ll be going back home soon.”
“We can’t go any too soon to suit me,” said Larry. “I want to see my
mother and Lucy and the others.”
“I don’t blame you,” spoke the reporter. “I’ll be glad to get back to
New York myself.”
They remained in Stoneville two days longer, and each day Mr. Newton
sent a graphic story of the flood. The townspeople were returning to
the homes they had deserted. Much damage had been done, but help came
pouring in from every side.
Trains began to run, and the mails, that had been interrupted, resumed
their service. Larry and Mr. Newton received several copies of the
_Leader_, containing the story which Larry had so successfully raced
to get to the telegraph office. Copies of other New York papers, of
the same date were also received, but none of them had more than a few
lines about the flood and burst dam, while the _Leader’s_ story covered
a whole page under big headlines.
On the evening of the second day, after the big beat, Mr. Newton
received a telegram from Mr. Emberg. It read:
“Congratulations to you and Larry. Come home. Associated press
will cover remainder of the story.”
“Get ready!” exclaimed Mr. Newton to Larry. “We’re going home
to-morrow!”
Several of the other special correspondents had already left
Stoneville. Some accompanied Mr. Newton and Larry the next morning.
“Well, you put it all over us,” said one of them to the _Leader_
reporter.
“With Larry’s help I did,” replied Mr. Newton. “If I hadn’t had him
along, I never could have done it.”
“Larry’s all right,” was the immediate and hearty response.
Larry thought he had never been on a train that moved so slowly. It
seemed to crawl along. A flying machine would have been too slow for
him, so eager was he to get home.
But at last he arrived in New York. It seemed good to get away from the
sight of dirty brown water, sorrowful people, and the constant rain
that had been his portion for a week.
“I’ll see you at the office in the morning,” said Mr. Newton.
“Good-night.”
“Good-night,” called Larry as he ran after a car.
He reached home. Into the house he burst with:
“Here I am, mother! How are you? How’s Lucy? How are Mary and Jimmy?”
“Oh, Larry, Larry!” exclaimed his mother, throwing her arms around him.
Mary and Jimmy crowded around their brother, clamoring for kisses,
while Jimmy wanted to hear all about the flood.
“How’s Lucy?” asked Larry again, as soon as he could quiet the
youngster.
“Doing finely,” replied the nurse, coming into the room. “We have a
surprise for you.”
“What is it?” asked Larry.
“Come and show him, Lucy,” said the nurse.
Then, from her room, came the girl. Not as she had used to walk,
hobbling along like a cripple, but straight and upright. With firm,
though slow step, she approached her brother.
“Lucy! Lucy!” cried Larry.
“Oh, Larry!” the girl exclaimed. “Aren’t you glad? I’m well again! I
can walk like other girls! Soon I’ll be able to run!”
“Really?” asked Larry, hardly able to believe the good news, and trying
hard to keep back the tears.
“Yes,” the nurse said. “She did much better than we expected. Dr.
Carrolton took the plaster cast off three days ago, but we didn’t send
you any word, for fear of a disappointment. Lucy is entirely cured.”
There was a happy household in the Dexter apartment that night. Several
neighbors, who had heard the good news, called, and there was general
rejoicing that the sick girl was well.
“Now tell us all about yourself,” said Mrs. Dexter to Larry. “Your
letters were only notes.”
“I didn’t have time to write much,” the boy said.
Then he told them the main things that had occurred since he had been
away.
“We read all about it in the paper,” said Lucy. “I was proud of you,
Larry.”
Larry reached the office early the next morning. He found Mr. Newton at
his desk.
“Want to go off on some more assignments?” asked the reporter.
“I shouldn’t mind,” replied Larry with a smile.
One by one the other reporters came in. They laughed and joked with
Mr. Newton. Some of them talked with Larry.
“Gee! But you had a swell time,” said Bud, gazing at Larry with envious
eyes.
Mr. Emberg was a little late that morning, and none of the reporters
went out until he came in. When he did arrive he nodded a greeting to
all in general.
“Glad to see you, Newton,” the city editor said. “Get back all right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You and Larry did good work. Where’s Larry?”
“Here,” replied the copy boy.
“Oh!” said Mr. Emberg, with a queer little smile playing over his
features. Then, taking Larry by the hand, the city editor said:
“Gentlemen of the staff of the _Leader_, let me introduce you to our
latest member, Mr. Larry Dexter.”
For a moment there was a silence. Larry looked all around on a circle
of smiling faces.
“What does it mean?” he asked of the city editor.
“It means that from now on you’re a regular reporter on this paper,”
replied Mr. Emberg. “We’re proud of you, Larry, and this is the only
way we can show it. You’ve earned your advance if anyone ever did. The
work you did at the flood, particularly in scoring the big beat, and
the other things you’ve done, prove that you are a real newspaper man,
which is a rare sort of an individual. Let me congratulate you.”
He shook hands with Larry, who was blushing like a girl.
And that was how Larry Dexter rose from a copy boy to be a regular
reporter. Of his further adventures, and he had many, you may read in
the next volume of this series which will be called “Larry Dexter,
Reporter; Or, Strange Adventures in a Great City.” There will be told
of how he went on in his chosen field, and how he made a name and fame
for himself and his paper, and also of how he again brought to light
the old deed for land in the Bronx and found it of great value.
“Let’s all shake hands with Larry,” called one of the reporters, and
they filed up and gave their best wishes to the former copy boy.
And here we will leave Larry for the present, wishing him well.
THE END
The Famous Rover Boys Series
By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
Each volume is hailed with delight by boys and girls everywhere.
12mo. Cloth. Handsomely printed and illustrated.
Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.
THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST
Or, The Struggle for the Stanhope Fortune
Old enemies try again to injure our friends.
THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE
Or, The Right Road and the Wrong
Brimming over with good nature and excitement.
THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE
Or, The Strange Cruise of the Steam Yacht
A search for treasure; a particularly fascinating volume.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM
Or, The Last Days at Putnam Hall
The boys find a mysterious cave used by freight thieves.
THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS
Or, The Deserted Steam Yacht
A trip to the coast of Florida.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS
Or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch
Relates adventures on the mighty Mississippi River.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER
Or, The Search for the Missing Houseboat
The Ohio River is the theme of this spirited story.
THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP
Or, The Rivals of Pine Island
At the annual school encampment.
THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA
Or, The Crusoes of Seven Islands
Full of strange and surprising adventures.
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS
Or, A Hunt for Fame and Fortune
The boys in the Adirondacks at a Winter camp.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES
Or, The Secret of the Island Cave
A story of a remarkable Summer outing; full of fun.
THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST
Or, The Search for a Lost Mine
A graphic description of the mines of the great Rockies.
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
Or, Stirring Adventures in Africa
The boys journey to the Dark Continent in search of their
father.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN
Or, A Chase for a Fortune
From school to the Atlantic Ocean.
THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL
Or, The Cadets of Putnam Hall
The doings of Dick, Tom, and Sam Rover.
GROSSET & DUNLAP--NEW YORK
The Putnam Hall Series
Companion Stories to the Famous Rover Boys Series
By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
Open-air pastimes have always been popular with boys, and should always
be encouraged, as they provide healthy recreation both for the body and
the mind. These books mingle adventure and fact, and will appeal to
every manly boy.
12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated.
Price, 60 Cents Per Volume, Postpaid.
THE PUTNAM HALL ENCAMPMENT
Or, The Secret of the Old Mill
A story full of vim and vigor, telling what the cadets did
during the summer encampment. * * * and among other things
their visit to a mysterious old mill, said to be haunted. The
book has a wealth of healthy fun in it.
THE PUTNAM HALL REBELLION
Or, The Rival Runaways
The boys had good reasons for running away during Captain
Putnam’s absence. They had plenty of fun, and several queer
adventures.
THE PUTNAM HALL CHAMPIONS
Or, Bound to Win Out
In this new tale the Putnam Hall Cadets show what they can do
in various keen rivalries on the athletic field and elsewhere.
There is one victory which leads to a most unlooked-for
discovery.
THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS
Or, Good Times in School and Out
The cadets are lively, flesh-and-blood fellows, bound to make
friends from the start. There are some keen rivalries, in
school and out, and something is told of a remarkable midnight
feast and a hazing that had an unlooked for ending.
THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS
Or, Fun and Sport Afloat and Ashore
It is a lively, rattling, breezy story of school life in this
country, written by one who knows all about its ways, its
snowball fights, its baseball matches, its pleasures and its
perplexities, its glorious excitements, its rivalries, and its
chilling disappointments.
Other Volumes in Preparation.
GROSSET & DUNLAP--NEW YORK
Transcriber’s Note:
Punctuation has been standardised. Hyphenation and spelling have been
retained as they appear in the original publication. Changes have been
made as follows:
Page 24
that it would he useless to try _changed to_
that it would be useless to try
Page 64
floor tumbed a number of yellow sheets _changed to_
floor tumbled a number of yellow sheets
Page 74
be only to glad _changed to_
be only too glad
Page 90
knew he had had hit Peter _changed to_
knew he had hit Peter
Page 99
been a number such _changed to_
been a number of such
Page 118
little ahead of happening _changed to_
little ahead of the happening
Page 158
was no burgular attachment _changed to_
was no burglar attachment
Page 159
forth from the window Harry _changed to_
forth from the window Larry
Page 226
I’ll bet’s this is it _changed to_
I’ll bet this is it
Page 293
pits of barnyard wreckage _changed to_
bits of barnyard wreckage
First page of book advertisements
By ARTHUR W. WINFIELD _changed to_
By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
End of Project Gutenberg's From Office Boy to Reporter, by Howard R. Garis