The crowd increased and pressed closer, but by this time more policemen had arrived, and they kept the throng back from the sufferer, so that he might have air.

It seemed a long time before the ambulance, which Larry summoned, made its arrival, but it was only a few minutes ere it clanged up to the pier, the crowd parting to let it pass.  In an instant the white-suited surgeon had leaped out of the back of the vehicle before it had stopped, and was kneeling beside Retto.

With deft fingers he felt of the wound on the man’s head.

“Possible fracture,” he said in a low voice.  “Double one of the leg, I’m afraid,” as he glanced at that member.  “Lend a hand, boys, and we’ll get him on the stretcher.”

There were willing enough helpers, and Retto was soon in the ambulance and on the way to the hospital, the doctor clinging to the back of the swaying vehicle as it dashed through the streets, with the right of way over everything on wheels.

“Here’s news in bunches,” thought Larry, as he saw the ambulance disappearing around a corner.  “I must telephone this in, and I guess it will be a beat.  To think that after all that I have Retto where I want him.  I’m sorry, of course, that he’s hurt, but I guess he can’t get out of the hospital very soon.  I’ll have a chance to question him.  Then I’ll make him tell me where Mr. Potter is, and that will end my special assignment.  I’ll not be sorry, either.  It’s been a hard one, though I’m glad I got it, for the experience is fine.”

Thus musing Larry looked for a telephone station and soon the story of Retto’s accident was being sent over the wire to the city editor.

“This will make a fine lead for our Potter story,” said Larry, as he finished telling of the accident.

“I’ve got another plan,” said Mr. Emberg.

“What is it?”

“Do you think anyone else knows who Retto is?  I mean anyone on the pier who saw him hurt?”

“I think not.  Captain Tantrella might, but other reporters are not likely to connect him with the case.”

“Then this is what I’m going to do.  I’ll use the story of the accident separate from the Potter story.  We’ll say an unidentified man was run down on the pier.  If he has a fractured skull he’ll not be able to tell who he is, and he has probably taken good care that there are no papers in his clothes by which his name can be learned.

“If we state that the injured man is the mysterious Retto, who is mixed up in the Potter case, we’ll have every reporter in New York camping out at that hospital waiting for a chance to get the information from him.  If we keep quiet we may be able to get it ourselves without any of the others knowing it.  We’ll try that way, Larry.  It’s a risk, but you’ve got to take risks in this business.”

The young reporter admired the generalship of his city editor, who could thus plan a magnificent beat.  Larry saw the feasibility of the plan.  If he kept his information to himself no one would know but what the injured man was a stranger in New York, and that he was connected with the Potter case would be farthest from the thoughts of any reporters who were working on the missing millionaire story.