He had done work for the editor of a weekly paper of a town on the
river, the nearest large town to the Academy and was well known in the
place besides, having many acquaintances there among business people.

Being fond of the water, and knowing that many of the boys would have
boats of one kind or another, but mostly motors, Jack had already
looked about him, and had already not only formed his plans, but had
put some of them in operation.

Leaving Percival, who was his principal chum among the Hilltop boys,
Jack went on his wheel to Riverton, the town nearest to the Academy,
and called in at the office of the News where he found the editor,
Mr. Brooke, pecking away at a typewriter in his sanctum, using two
fat fingers only in doing his writing rather than all of them as an
expert would do.

Brooke had learned to use the machine in that way, however, and would
adopt no other, although he had been shown by Jack, who was a rapid
writer on a machine, and could compose on it, that he could do much
faster work by the other method.

"How do you do, Sheldon?" said Brooke, looking up. "Got any news?"

"What are you going to do with that little gasolene engine that you
used to run your little presses with?" asked Jack.

"I don't know, sell it, I guess. It isn't good for much except junk."

"How much do you want for it?"

"Oh, you can have it if you think you can do anything with it," said
the editor carelessly.

"No, I don't want it for nothing. I'll pay you for it."

"What are you going to do with it? It's too little to run any but
the small presses. Ain't going to start a paper, are you?"

"No. I can fix it up so as to make it do good work. I want to put
it in a motor-boat."

"It might do for that, and if you can fix it up you're welcome to it.
You have a mechanical bent, I know, and I guess if any one can fix it
up, you can. Well, say ten dollars."

"All right. It will cost me another ten to put it in shape, but after
that it will do all right. Will you deliver it to a man that I send
after it? I'll take it down to the Riverton shops and work on it.
They let me tinker things there whenever I want to."

"Certainly. Send an order, and I'll let the man have it."

"Very good. That's all for the present," and Jack went out.

His next call was at the machine shop he had spoken of, and going on
their wharf he looked around, saw an old rowboat lying on the ground,
took a good look at it, and then wen