He pinned the slips to the top of the lower sash.

As the depended slips were brought with their backs to the light, Mr.Sands showed Richard how they were in the nature of stencils, the white light showing through in printed words.

Richard was dumb; it was a kind of prodigy.

He read the stencils, beginning at the top of the one which Mr.Sands said was the "lead." [Illustration: It was a Kind of Prodigy] "The report is set in minion," explained Mr.Sands, "and with this light you can read it plain as ink." Richard discovered the truth of what Mr.Sands averred; here indeed was Senator Hanway's Northern Consolidated report, and as readily made out as though printed in a book.
"This is the idea," vouchsafed Mr.Sands, who saw that Richard was warm for explanations.

"The boss gave out the report in little 'takes' of about fifty words each.