Part 45 (2/2)
”Fifty thousand dollars!” exclaimed Jack, when he heard of this ”That certainly is quite a sum of money”
”It costs money to bore for oil in these parts,” answered his father
As he had pro Monday with his report concerning the Franklin far, Mr Rover,” said he ”There are indications of oil in half a dozen places, and two of the spots to ”
Then he went into ht in one of his assistants to verify some of the statements dick Rover listened carefully to all that was said, and then leaned back in his chair and looked at the oil expert sharply
”Then on the strength of this report, Mr Fitch, you would adviseat least tells?”
”I certainly would, Mr Rover That is, of course, if you can afford to take the gamble I'm almost certain that the oil is there, but you must remember that even the best of us are sometimes deceived However, I will say this--I am not a particularly rich man, but if you sink these tells in the spots that I have picked out and you form a company at, say, one hundred thousand dollars, for that purpose, I a to put up five thousand dollars in cash for some of the stock”
”That certainly sounds as if you had faith in it,” answered dick Rover, with a s?”
”I am, sir,” and Mr Fitch's face showed that he meant what he said
”Very well, then, you do so, and I'll start operations to-morrow”
As soon as it was definitely settled that Mr Rover would go ahead and sink the tells, the boys hurried over to see Phil Franklin They found the lad all smiles
”It's the best news I ever heard,” said Phil, his eyes glea with pleasure ”Now, dad and I will have a chance ofsome real money”
For it had now been settled that John Franklin was to have an eighth interest in the new co ahead on your farm,” answered Jack
”And I hope for your sake as well as our own that the wells prove regular gushers”
”That Mr Fitch was very hopeful,” answered Phil ”And my father says he's one of the best oil experts to be found anywhere He's an old hand at the ga proved to be tremendously busy ones for dick Rover In conference with Nick Ogilvie and several others, all the work preliotten under way, and deals were closed for nearly all the necessary machinery, and also for a quantity of lus
”We're going to stay right in our house,” said Phil to the other boys
”We sha'n't get out until the flow of oil compels us to”
”Well, I hope the oil corinned Andy
It soon became noised around that The Rover Oil Company had been forilvie and his assistants were hustling as ed to get together a gang of fifteen, but then there ca it up for oil over the line in Oklahoood o to Wichita Falls and see what you can do,” suggested dick Rover
The next day Jack and Andy, while riding in George Rogers' automobile, ran across three of the men employed by Davenport These men had had a quarrel with Tate, and were on the point of leaving their job They listened with interest to what the boys had to say about the Franklin place
”If they want o over and see about it,” said one of the workmen