uba--which, don't forget,
faces the Mole St. Nicholas--seems to suggest that he's deep in the
plot."

He puffed his pipe for a moment or two, and then continued,

"Now, there are two powerful forces working underground in the West
Indies. One is the Spanish and negro combination, which desires to shake
off all the British, French and Dutch possessions, and to create a
Creole Empire of the Islands. The other is an English plan, to weld all
the British islands in the West Indies into a single Confederation and
to buy as many of the smaller isles from France and Holland as may seem
possible. Both are hostile to the extension of American power in the
Gulf of Mexico. Possibly, some European power is back of this plot. A
foreign naval base in the Mole St. Nicholas would be a menace to us,
and one on which Washington would not look very kindly.

"So you see, Youngster, if such a thing as this were possible, it would
be a big story, and one that ought to be followed up very closely."

"That's what Dinville seemed to think, sir," interposed the boy, "and I
told him I didn't have the money."

"Nor have you the experience," added the Editor, dryly. "Money isn't any
good, if you don't know how to use it."

He pondered for a moment.

"I can't buy the information from you," he said, "because, so far, the
story isn't in shape to use, and I don't know when I will be able to use
it. Yet I do want to have an option on the first scoop on the story. You
know what a scoop is?"

"No, sir."

"A 'scoop' or a 'beat' means that one paper gets hold of a big story
before any other paper has it. It is like a journalistic triumph, if you
like, and a paper which gets 'scoops,' by that very fact, shows itself
more wide awake than its competitors.

"Now, see here, Stuart. Suppose I agree to pay you a thousand dollars
for the exclusive rights to all that you find out about the story, at
what time it is ready for publication, and that I agree to put that
thousand dollars to your account for you to draw on for expenses. How
about that?"

Stuart was taken aback. He fairly stuttered,

"Why--sir, I--I----"

The Editor smiled at the boy's excited delight.

"You agree?"

"Oh, yes, sir!"

There was no mistaking the enthusiasm of the response.

"Very good. Then, in addition to that, I'll pass the word that you're to
be put on the list for correspondence stuff. I'm not playing any
favorites, you understand! Whatever you send in will be used