Part 36 (1/2)
”About kidnaping these boys?” demanded Mr. Wilding.
”I didn't kidnap 'em,” spoke Captain Needham, ”they came aboard and were glad enough to. I had to hold 'em a while, and sorry enough I was to do it.”
”You'll be sorrier before we're through with you,” remarked the chief.
”Gentlemen, perhaps I had better explain,” said the man whom the boys had seen wearing the gilt crown.
”We'll give you a chance,” said Mr. Wilding.
”In the first place we owe you boys an apology,” the man went on.
”We'll make it a substantial one too, as you will see, but first let me introduce myself. My name is Patrick Ricka, and I am interested in oil wells.”
”Oil wells!” exclaimed Mr. Wilding. ”There aren't any around here.”
”There wasn't but there will be very soon,” Mr. Ricka added. ”My companions are William Hendershot,” and he indicated the man with the white beard, ”Joseph Gampfer,” who was the tramp, ”and Andrew Maddox.
They are a.s.sociated with me in this enterprise. Captain Needham, I believe, you boys know,” and he smiled.
”Are you crazy or is it a joke about the King of Paprica?” asked Mr.
Wilding, not inclined to let up on the men.
”It was an odd t.i.tle, made up partly from my own name, as you will observe, and adopted to meet the exigencies of the occasion. For some time I have suspected there was oil in this region,” Patrick Ricka continued. ”I knew if I made any tests openly some one would find out what I was after, and I would have no opportunity of securing the land without paying a fabulous price for it. So I decided to come here with my a.s.sistants and work in secret.
”We thought the best plan would be to pretend one or more of us was slightly insane and that the other was his keeper. This was done. I had the hut (a portable one) built and placed the name above the door to further the idea that we were insane. Then we went through some rather foolish antics, just to keep persons from prying around here. You boys were the more persistent, and saw more of us than any one else. That day Mr. Hendershot was poking his pole down in the river he was testing to see if there was a strata of oil land under the water. You boys thought he was crazy. Again, when you started to cross here and Sandy ordered you away, we were making some microscopic tests of the upper surface, and did not want to be disturbed. We hired Sandy, not because we liked him, but because we heard he was on the 'outs' with you boys, and we knew he would not make friends with you and so unintentionally perhaps, give our secret away.
”As it happened the plan was successful in a measure. Then Mr. Gampfer in the guise of a tramp met you and inquired where the cabin was, for he had, up to that time, not been to it. He saw you were rather dangerous boys to have loose, as far as our plans were concerned. Even moving the cabin did not fool you. We saw you with the telescope that day,” and Mr. Ricka laughed.
”What did Sandy and Mr. Gampfer follow us for?” demanded Bart.
”Only to see if they could overhear what you were talking about, and learn whether you were still determined to solve our secret,” replied the oil man. ”They intended no harm, and, I trust, worked none. If they had heard you discussing ways of finding out our secret they would have warned me to hasten matters to a close. I hope they did not annoy you.”
”It worried us,” Bart replied.
”Of course. We are sorry for that. In the meanwhile we went on with our experiments. We found indications that oil was plentiful under here and made arrangements to buy the property. But we paid a good price for it, and each seller will have a share in the profits. We did nothing dishonest. Mr. Gampfer gave you a tip, once, but you didn't seem to grasp it.”
”What was it?” asked Fenn.
”The day you borrowed the salt,” replied the man who had posed as a tramp. ”You see I was engaged in going through the country around here with my instruments looking for indications of oil. You asked me what my work was and I said hunting the 'Oilander Tincander.' If you will say that slowly you'll see what I mean.”
”Oil-ander Tin-can-der,” murmured Bart. ”Oh! I see. Oil-can!”
”Exactly.”
”Well,” resumed Mr. Ricka, ”everything went along well until that balloon trip. That brought about the climax. Of course it was all an accident, and we had no idea our barge would pick you boys from the river. You see we have a barge to bring machinery to us. It had delivered some and was to bring more. It was on the way after it when the balloon fell. Sandy Merton, whom we kept in our employ, was aboard and recognized you boys. He told Captain Needham, who, knowing how nearly you had discovered our secret, determined to hold you a while until he could let me know. He had no right to, of course, and we will pay you any reasonable damages.
”For you see we have struck oil,” Mr. Ricka went on. ”Our property which extends for over a mile all around Bender's hill, is rich in oil. As soon as you boys escaped Captain Needham turned about and came back. I apprehend that is correct, Captain, for, though he sent a telegram to me telling of your--er--of your detention--I have not seen him from shortly before the balloon fell, until this moment.”
Captain Needham nodded in a.s.sent.
”The need of secrecy is at an end,” Mr. Ricka continued. ”Our rights are all secured and we don't care how soon everyone in Darewell knows about the oil.”