Part 35 (1/2)
Around Coluood But presently they found themselves on a country road which had not been cut up by a steady strea better
They had covered about two miles when they came to a bend in the road, and there Andy called a halt
”I've got so in my shoe Wait till I take it off,” he said, and sat down on a rock
They were all resting when they saw an automobile truck rumble past them There were three men on the front seat, and the lads were very much surprised to see that two of them were Jake Tate and the man called Jackson
CHAPTER XXII
AMONG THE OIL WELLS
”Did you see those fellows?” exclaiht
”I did,” answered Jack ”They were Tate and Jackson”
”Can they be going up to the Lorimer Spell claim?” exclaimed Fred
”It's possible”
”I don't think they saw us,” put in Andy, lacing up his shoe again
”No, they didn't seem to look this way at all And, anyhow, they were too busy talking to notice,” answered Jack
The four Rovers continued on their way, following the automobile
Occasionally they h with oil-drilling machinery Then they ca constructed
”We are certainly in the oil fields,” announced Jack ”See all the derricks in the distance?”
Being-good walkers, it did not take the boys long to reach the Spell tract of land To ht spot, they asked an old tea a harness
”Yes, that's Loriround before he was killed There is the old shack just as he left it”
The boys walked over to the house, which stood a some low bushes It was a dilapidated structure, and had evidently been out of repair for several years Most of the ere gone, and the front door stood wide open As was to be expected, the four rooms the house contained were empty save for some straw on the floor and a pile of half-burnt sticks on the open hearth
”So and taken whatever there was of furniture,” observed Jack
”Yes, and so it for a place to bunk in,” added Fred ”But I don't believe they have been here within the last few days,” he added, with a look at the ashes on the hearth
From the house the boys proceeded to look around the farular in shape, one corner running over a hill and doards a small brook Here, to their surprise, they saw a pile of oil-drilling machinery, and a number of posts had been set up On one of the posts was a placard reading:
_The Carson Davenport Claim Keep off_
”What do you know about this!” cried Jack, his eyes blazing
”Let's knock the sign down,” suggested Fred quickly
”No, on't do that--at least not yet, Fred We'll wait until my father comes with those papers from Wichita Falls”