Part 40 (1/2)

CHAPTER XXV

DAVENPORT'S ACCUSATION

”Then the Loriood!” exclaimed Jack

”I wouldn't say that exactly, Jack No claim down here can be said to be worthless until it has actually been bored for oil It is just possible that those oil experts may be mistaken At the same time, from what Mr

Fitch said, I would be very slow about putting money in that land”

”It's too bad, Uncle dick, if that claiood e all supposed it would be so wonderful,” came from Fred, and his face showed his disappoint,” answered his Uncle dick ”I feel a great deal better than if I had sunk thirty or forty thousand dollars in a dry hole”

Andy began to snicker

”Gee! it's rich, Uncle dick, to pass Davenport and that crowd the white elephant,” he chuckled ”I only hope they get bit bad, especially if they were the rascals who came here and knocked you out”

”They must have been the crowd, because no one else would be interested in those docuet the for et you boys out of the way The story about Gabe Werner having a broken leg was probably faked up”

”Nappy ader expected to work for the Davenport crowd,” said Jack ”They are all tarred with the saet stuck bad”

”Uncle dick, why don't you pretend to be terribly put out over the fact that you have lost your interest in the claim?” cried Andy ”That will throw theine that you think there is a lot of oil to be found there”

”I'll think it over and at the saht make while I'ood night's sleep and reduce this swelling on my head,” added Jack's father, as he felt of the bump tenderly

”I know one person ould like you to interest yourself in his claim!” exclaimed Jack ”That is Mr John Franklin, thein the Rick Rack River freshet”

Thereupon the boys told of theirwith Mr Franklin and Phil, and also related what particulars they knew concerning the otten it out of the clutches of the oil sharpers

”Thatinto,” said dick Rover ”I'll take it up a little later, after I feel better, and after I have had it out with Davenport and his crowd”

The boys assisted Jack's father to his roo Meanwhile Randy went down to interview the sleepy hotel clerk

”That fellow doesn't know a thing about what happened,” announced Randy on his return ”Thosea snooze And as luck would have it for those rascals, no one else see of special i lad to take it easy, but declined to have a physician when that was suggested

”It was only an ordinary blow, and did nothing more than knockondown, and that little cut on the teht all to be put in prison!” burst out Fred

”Possibly you are right, Fred But you must reme is rather rough A new oil town and a newcamp are pretty much on the same level You often have to take the law into your own hands and fight your way through the best you can Later there will be regular law and order, and then matters will run more smoothly”

dick Rover did not mention the matter to the boys, but from that day on he went armed, resolved to take no more chances should any of the oil land swindlers attack hi that time the boys visited a nuht of Nappy and Slugger, and also Werner But those three unworthies did not show theot it in for the until they think this affair has blown over”

On the third day dick Rover felt quite like himself, and he hired an autoilvie, to the Lorimer Spell claim Somewhat to his surprise, he found Carson Davenport on the land, along with Tate and Jackson and half a dozen other ht up and du of this, Davenport?” questioned Jack's father shortly