Illustrations by Ryan Lanigan

The story so far: Marky Meadows hopes his newspaper project will bring something new — success — into his life.

"Marky. Yo, Marky!" Sizemore whispered to his friend. "You OK?"

Marky stared at the girl Mrs. Velasquez had introduced as her granddaughter. "Yeah, anyway …," he began, not remembering what had been said.

"We were talking about advertisers," Mrs. Velasquez reminded him. "These boys are starting a neighbourhood newspaper," she said to Carla.

"I see," said the girl.

Marky blinked himself out of his trance. "Right," he said. Then he looked at Carla in a more normal way. "Have I seen you at school?"

"No, but you will soon," she said.

Mrs. Velasquez took Carla's hand as the group started toward the front door. "My granddaughter moved in just this week," she said. "She's joined a soccer team and started dance lessons today."

Sizemore spoke up as they reached the door. "I wonder if your dance school would buy an ad in our newspaper," he said. "Could you ask?"

Carla smiled. "I'd like to help with your newspaper. May I, Abuela?"

"That's a fine idea," Mrs. Velasquez answered, opening the door. She saw several police cars. "Oh, my! Something's happened across the street. You boys have your first scoop," she said.

Marky and Sizemore hurried away with their notebooks, quickly thanking Mrs. Velasquez as they left.

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"This is so cool," Marky said as he and Sizemore walked home. "That woman, Mrs. Blair, talked to me like I was a grown-up reporter."

"Too bad about somebody stealing her stuff, though," Sizemore said. "Laptop, MP3 player, cell phone …"

Marky checked for traffic before crossing Red Ridge Lane. "How's this for a headline: 'Techno Thief Hits Homes'?"

"Sounds good, Marky. What else do we have for our first issue?"

"We can check around for school programs, and I'll go to Main Street to visit a new store I saw," Marky said. "I might sell a few ads while I'm there."

The boys stopped in front of Sizemore's house. "Ads? I thought you were leaving the advertising to Carla," he said.

"I am," Marky said quickly. "She's new, though, and I want to make sure she doesn't, uh, get lost."

"Yeah, well. I hope you don't get lost," Sizemore said.

Marky trotted across the street and into his house. "Mom, OK if I ride my bike downtown?" he shouted toward the kitchen. "Si and I are starting a newspaper, and I need news."

"How about this for a story," Lily Meadows said, walking out of the laundry room while wiping her hands. "'Local Woman Fixes Washer for the Fortieth Time'."

Marky laughed, amazed as always at his mom's mechanical ability.

"Tell me about your newspaper, Marky — like, who's paying for it," Mrs. Meadows said.

"I'll use our computer, Mom, but it won't cost us a thing." Marky explained about money from sales and advertising — everything he learned from Mrs. Velasquez.

After Lily Meadows gave her approval, Marky went to the phone and, using the number Mrs. Velasquez had written in his notebook, called Carla.

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The man at the new store, Webb Site, introduced himself as Iggy Webb. Marky knew the store would be an instant success with kids: it was filled with game systems, music players, computers, TVs — a digital dreamland!

"I'd be happy to advertise in your paper," Mr. Webb said when Carla asked. "I've heard about the equipment thefts around town. I hope I can help people replace what was stolen."

Marky was writing details for a news story. "How come this stuff is so cheap?" he asked.

"I prefer 'affordable,'" Mr. Webb said kindly. "The prices are low because the items are used — gently."

After finishing up with Iggy Webb, Marky and Carla talked with other store owners on Main Street.

"We sold five ads, and our first issue will be full of news," Marky said excitedly. Then his face fell. "I've got to go to my brother's dumb baseball game tonight, though, and I have an even dumber soccer game tomorrow."

Carla smiled. "I have a soccer game tomorrow, too," she said. "My new team is the Dragons, and we play the Gators."

"Oh, boy," Marky said, trying — and failing — to sound happy. "I play for the Gators."

&Copy; RP Productions, Inc. All rights reserved.

1. Why would Marky be unhappy about playing a soccer game against Carla?

2. Make a list of people you would call to sell advertisements for a newspaper produced by you and your friends. What would you tell them to make them want to advertise in your newspaper? Draft a script of your "sales pitch."

3. If you were publishing a newspaper, how would you gather news and information about people and events in your school or town? Make a list of sources.

4. Iggy Webb named his store using part of his own name. Using your name, think of as many store names as you can. What would each one sell or offer?

5. Marky and his mom both created headlines in this chapter. Look at the headlines in The Royal Gazette. What do they have in common? Write a headline for an article about something you did this week.

Youngsters who submit written answers to the first three questions will be eligible for a weekly draw for a gift voucher. Send your answers via email to jhind@royalgazette.bm, or fax 295-2766 or drop off at The Royal Gazette, 2 Par la Ville Road, Hamilton. Remember to include all your contact information.