When Tip held his tongue before and at his trial, last year, he was looking ahead to the time when he could extort money by threatening Fred.
And now Tip's doing it.

That must be the way he gets his living.
Whew, but Ripley must be allowed a heap of spending money if he can stand that sort of drain!" How Dick came to be on hand at the time can be easily explained.
Earlier in the evening he had been at "The Blade" office.

Mr.
Pollock had asked him to go out on a news story that could be obtained by calling upon a citizen at his home.

The story would be longer than Dick usually succeeded in turning in.

It looked attractive to a boy who wanted to earn money, so the sophomore eagerly accepted the assignment.
As it happened, Dick had had to wait a long time at the house at which he called before the man he wanted to see returned home.
Dick was on his way to "The Blade" office when he caught sight of Tip Scammon.