Ralph Gurney's Oil Speculation

CLOSE QUARTERS

It hardly seemed possible to the boys that, after the mishap which it seemed would give the thieves all the time they needed to make good their escape, they could be so near to them that their capture seemed certain.

But the farmer insisted that there was no outlet to the road; that a team answering to the description of the one George had lost had been driven in there, and that it had not come out. Therefore, there could be no question but that they had the thieves in a trap, as the farmer had said, and all that was necessary was to go and get them or the team.

At first they were about to start out without any plan whatever, intent only on getting the horses as quickly as possible; but George realized in time that, secure as the thieves appeared to be against escape, all might be changed by too much precipitation.

If they should rush in recklessly, the men might get past them by concealing the team in the bushes until they had passed that particular point, and then the road would be clear before them, unless the farmer could succeed in stopping them.

It was necessary, therefore, that, in going up this road, which they were told was about two miles long, they should not only see where the thieves had gone in, but where it would be possible for them to come out, in case they should succeed in making a detour through the woods.

The farmer, after listening to the discussion which the boys were having, suggested that they block up the road near its entrance with his heavy carts, and then, if the thieves should get past them, they would be obliged to leave the team at the obstruction in order to make good their own escape.

This suggestion was so good that they followed it at once. Bob using his horses to haul a hay-rack, a heavy ox-cart and two dump-carts into the road, about two hundred yards from the highway, overturning and wedging them in in such a way that a passage through could not be made in less than half an hour.

The farmer, having work that forenoon, which kept him near the house, promised to keep a sharp lookout while the boys went after the team, and to give the alarm in case the men should come down towards the barricade.

Then, all the preparations having been completed, there was nothing to prevent them from going into the trap the thieves had voluntarily entered.

Bob thought they ought to have weapons in case the men should attempt to fight for the possession of their ill-gotten booty; but George refused to consider the idea even for a moment. He had no thought that the men would do anything of the kind, and, even though he was going after his own property, he was not willing to go in such a way as might endanger the life of any one.

"If you want any weapons, take a good stout club," he said, "and I think you will find even that unnecessary, for as soon as the men see us, they will do their best to get away."

Bob was by no means satisfied to start up the road unarmed; but since it was George's property they were in search of, he thought his orders should be obeyed, even though the attempt should be unsuccessful because of it.

"If I was in your place, I should make sure of the men as well as the team," the farmer called out, as they started, "for there's a good many more horse-thieves in the country than are needed, an' it's doin' a good turn to honest people to put 'em where they can't run off other people's property."

George made no reply, but at the same time he did not propose to make an amateur detective of himself, unless the men should attempt to prevent him from taking his own, and then he would have no hesitation about causing their arrest.

There was no difficulty in following the track of the carriage, for there had been so little travel on the road that the impress of the wheels was distinctly seen, and there could be no question but that it would be an easy matter to see where it was taken into the woods in case the men should attempt to hide.

"I guess we had our labor for nothing in blocking up the road," said Bob, as they walked along, "for there is no chance of our passing the team so long as we can see the tracks as plain as this."

"We certainly didn't hurt ourselves piling up the carts, and the time was well spent, if only for the sake of the precaution," said George; and then, stopping suddenly, after they had walked nearly a mile, he pointed to a second track, which led directly into the woods a few yards ahead of them. "They have been to the end of the road, and come back," he whispered. "Perhaps they have just turned in here after hearing us."

For a moment the three boys stood looking at the trail made by those they had been so anxious to meet, and then George said, in a low tone:

"We mustn't lose any time here, and when we do start it must be quickly. We will follow this track in, and keep right on in it; for we shall either find the team now in the bushes, or else the men will have done as I feared – passed us while we were on the road."

There was still a chance that the men might get away with the team if they had succeeded in reaching the road in the rear of the boys, for it might be possible for them to clear away the obstructions near the main road before the boys could run a mile, unless the farmer could prevent them.

George dashed into the bushes, followed closely by Ralph and Bob, and before they had gone very far, it was evident to all that the men were trying to do just as George had suggested.

The track made by the carriage could be followed very readily, and there was no longer any question, after the boys had run a hundred yards, but that they were traveling in a half circle, the end of which would be at the road.

"Come on as fast as you can," shouted George, when he thus saw his suspicions verified; and, regardless of whether he was followed or not, he dashed ahead at full speed, perfectly satisfied that when he saw his team again it would be at the barricade.

When he reached the road up which they had just come, the second track of wheels could be seen, and he half expected to hear the farmer's warning cry, forgetting for the time that any ordinary pair of lungs could hardly be heard a mile away.

Close behind George came Ralph and Bob, both excited by the thought that there was yet a possibility the men might escape with the team, and both running as fast as they could.

"They've come this way!" shouted George, "and now it only remains to be seen whether we can get there in time."

There was no need to say anything to urge either of the boys on to greater speed, for they were making every effort, and George himself was really the one who would be left behind if the race was continued very long.

Bent only on reaching a given point as quickly as possible, the boys paid no attention to anything else save getting over the ground rapidly, and the farmer's voice rang out long and loud before they realized that they heard it.

"Hello! Hello-o-o! Hello-o-o-o!" was the cry.

And when finally the boys did hear it, they understood by the tone that there was urgent reason for them to make haste, for now, beyond a doubt, the thieves were trying hard to remove the barricade.

Panting, almost breathless, but not realizing how nearly exhausted they were, the boys rushed on, intent only on noting the way, that they might lose no time or vantage by a misstep, until they emerged from the woods at a point where they could see that which was causing such an outcry from the farmer, who was taking quite as much interest in the saving of their property as he would have done in his own.

George could see his team halted in front of the barricade they had piled up with so much, and what at the time Bob had thought useless, labor, while the men were straining every nerve to remove it, the farmer standing at a safe distance, screaming at the top of his voice, even though he must have seen the boys coming towards him as rapidly as they could run.

Already had the two men succeeded in removing the two dump-carts, and were now at work upon the hay-rack, with every prospect of pulling it sufficiently out of the way to admit of their driving past; but when they saw the three boys coming down the road, they evidently concluded that they had worked quite as long as was safe, for they began to look out for their own welfare, instead of trying longer to get away with the team.

After one look at the boys, probably to make sure they were the same ones whom they had seen coming up the road, the thieves ceased their efforts to move the hay-rack, and sought safety in flight, running down the road towards Babcock, instead of trying to escape in the opposite direction.

The farmer, who was anxious that all horse-thieves should be placed beyond the possibility of carrying on their business, at once started in pursuit, probably without thought as to how he could make prisoners of two men whom he had not dared to grapple with when they were trying to tear down the barrier which prevented them from getting away with their booty.

George, who still continued to lead the party, stopped when he reached the side of the carriage. He had gained possession of his team once more, and he was content.

CHAPTER XX.

A SOUVENIR OF THE THIEVES

Even had they been so disposed, neither Bob nor Ralph could have joined the farmer in the pursuit of the men, because by the time they arrived at the carriage they were so nearly exhausted that it would have been a matter of impossibility for them to run fifty yards further, whatever the inducement.

All three stood by the side of the recovered property, panting and breathless, but watching eagerly the unequal race, where the two men could run a trifle more than twice as fast as their pursuer.

The farmer, seeing how sadly he was being distanced, looked behind for an instant, to see if any of the boys were going to aid him, and then, seeing that they had all halted, gave up the contest by hobbling back to his stable, looking quite as red in the face and panting quite as hard as if he had run a thousand yards instead of twenty.

"If you'd only followed me we could have caught 'em all," he said, in a half-reproachful tone, as he came up to the boys.

"I don't believe you could have overtaken them if all of us had been close at your heels," replied George, speaking with considerable difficulty because of the shortness of his breath. "But, as a matter of fact, I don't think we could have followed those men even if the team itself had been ours only in consideration of our catching them. You see, we have run a mile at full speed, and we're about used up."

"Wall, it's a pity to let 'em go, for they'll be lookin' 'round for some other team, now they've lost your'n, an' jest as likely as not I'll be the one that'll have to furnish it for 'em," said the farmer, mournfully, as he fanned himself vigorously with his broad-brimmed straw hat. "But I've seen them chaps before, I'm pretty sure. I b'lieve they're the same ones that was nosin' 'round here four or five weeks ago, lookin' for oil signs over my pasture."

"Oh, we'll hope not!" exclaimed Bob, with a laugh. "For the sake of those who are really engaged in the oil business, we'll hope they do not number horse-thieves among them."

"But I'm sure they're the same ones," persisted the farmer, "an' they talked as if they knowed all about the business."

As soon as the boys had recovered somewhat from the effects of their exertions they began to think of returning, and Bob started to get his team, which had been left in the stable-yard, when an exclamation from George caused him to pause.

The obstructions had not been cleared away from the road, and Harnett was fastening his horses to the fence, in order to help remove that which had been of so much service in stopping the flight of the horse-thieves, when some papers in the buggy arrested his attention.

Taking them up carelessly he glanced over two or three quickly when something caught his eye which caused the cry of surprise that had stopped Bob.

"They were oil prospectors, after a fashion," said George, "and if they knew what they professed to, they have left us a valuable souvenir."

"A souvenir!" repeated Bob. "What have they done – left an empty pocket-book?"

"It may prove to be quite as valueless as one, and probably will; but it looks queer, for it is made out in proper form, and only verifies what Bob said last night."

"What I said last night!" repeated Bob, now thoroughly mystified. "In mercy to me tell me what you mean, and don't stand there mooning away like that."

"Well," said George, who had glanced over the contents of the particular paper which had caused him so much surprise, "listen to me. In the first place, here is what I should judge to be an accurate survey of the wood-lot Ralph and I bought of Simpson. It states the price for which the land was mortgaged, and the probable price for which it could be bonded or purchased. Here is a description of the entire property, and here is given the exact spot, by measurement, where they have found satisfactory evidences of oil. It would be singular if, in helping Mr. Simpson, we had helped ourselves, and still more singular that we should learn of it through those who stole my team, and put us to so much trouble."

"The only thing singular about it would be that there wasn't any oil there," replied Bob, quickly. "I've looked over that place some, and I know it's there; but other people haven't seen fit to believe me when I said so."

"We didn't say whether we doubted you or not," said Ralph, who was inclined to believe fully the information contained in the paper George had found. "When you made the statement, we said nothing, one way nor the other."

"Then why were you surprised when you found the same thing written there?" asked Bob, somewhat sulkily, as he pointed to the paper George held.

"We were surprised to find it in the possession of such men," replied Harnett, with a laugh, "and perhaps also a little surprised to learn that we could have put so much faith in any one of your assertions. But now, with such eminent authority on the subject, I am anxious to get back, and look at the land for myself."

"What are the other papers?" asked Bob.

"They refer to land near Simpson's, which the men have examined and reported upon carefully, but without finding so many favorable evidences that a well should be sunk. What puzzles me is, how these men could be oil prospectors, and at the same time steal a team."

"I think that is simple enough," said Bob, carelessly. "They were probably prospecting on their own account, expecting to sell their information after they obtained it. They hadn't any capital of their own, but when they saw a fine team alone in a shed, at a time when there was a terrible fire raging, they thought they could steal it without running any risk. If they had got away with your horses, they could have raised money enough on them to buy the Simpson property, and once they struck oil, they would become honest men."

"That's nigh enough to the truth of it," said the farmer, solemnly; and all the party agreed to accept that as the explanation of what otherwise would have seemed very singular.

All three of the boys were now more than anxious to return to Sawyer, that they might learn whether the statement contained in the paper they had found was true or not.

Considerable labor had to be done, however, in the way of clearing the farmer's carts from the road, and all the boys went to work at once, while the owner sat on a rock near by, bemoaning his misfortune in not having caught the thieves, and in not having signs of oil on his wood-lot.

By the time the boys had replaced his carts as they had found them, he came out of his sorrow sufficiently to invite them to remain to dinner, and he urged the invitation so strongly that they concluded to accept it, especially since the horses, more particularly George's, needed dinner even more than they did.

It was a real country dinner they sat down to in the farm-house, half an hour later, while the horses stood before mangers, in which was a plentiful supply of grain, and the boys did full justice to it, eating until their hostess could have no cause for complaining that her food had not been duly appreciated.

During dinner, Mr. Folsom, the host, learned that George and Bob were indirectly concerned in the oil business, and also heard some of the moonlighter's wonderful stories as to the famous wells he had discovered when others had said there was no oil in the vicinity. This was sufficient to revive all the farmer's hopes, which had been slumbering for a while, that he might be one of the lucky ones who are made rich by the discovery of oil on their lands, and he urged the boys to remain with him several days, or, at least, long enough to locate a well on his farm.

It seemed all in vain for the boys to urge that they did not know enough about prospecting to make a thorough examination of the farmer's lands, or if they did, that it would be impossible for them to remain because of business.

The old gentleman insisted so strongly, basing his claims to receive them as guests on what he had done to aid them in recovering George's property, that they were obliged to promise that they would return very soon, and examine, as far as they were able, his entire farm, which he was now very certain was situated directly on the oil-belt, even though wells had been sunk near him unsuccessfully.

It was quite late in the afternoon when the boys did finally succeed in getting away from the too hospitably inclined farmer, and then they started down the road leisurely, for they had a long journey before them if they expected to reach the Kenniston farm that night.

Bob rode alone and in advance, while Ralph rode with George, the two teams driving along side by side whenever the width of the road would permit, in order that the occupants might talk over and over again the prospects of finding oil on the Simpson wood-lot.

And this conversation was continued by Ralph and George when Bob was obliged to drive ahead, both very much excited about it, and both building air-castles on the strength of the idea, even until the weary horses trotted up the lane to the Kenniston farm-house.

CHAPTER XXI.

PROSPECTING

It was not until a late hour on the morning after the boys arrived at the Kenniston farm after their pursuit of the horse-thieves that any one of the three made their appearance, and even then they would not have gotten up so early as they did, had not Jim and Dick paid them a visit for the purpose of hearing the particulars of the chase.

Bob's partners paid no attention to Farmer Kenniston when he proposed that they wait until the boys should awaken, since the chances were that they needed a considerable amount of sleep; but insisted on paying a visit to their partner in bed, which effectually prevented him from enjoying another morning nap.

When Ralph and George made their appearance half an hour later, Bob had told his friends all the particulars of the chase, including the finding of the report on the Simpson property, and the moonlighters were quite as much excited about it as if they had been the owners of the land. They insisted that George and Ralph should verify the truth of the statement at once, and, without waiting for an invitation, proposed to accompany them.

Just then, owing to the unusual vigilance of the torpedo detective, the moonlighter's business was virtually at a standstill, and they had plenty of spare time in which to prospect for oil, or to prove the truth of the statement that had so singularly come into George's possession.

Both the owners of the Simpson wood-lot would have much preferred to make their investigations alone; but since they could give no good reason as to why the boys should not be allowed to accompany them, nor none as to why the work should not be begun at once, they were obliged once more to start out with the moonlighters.

During the ride home the night before, George and Ralph had discussed the question of what they should do in case oil was found on the property, and they both felt that in such case they should consider that Mr. Simpson still had a claim upon the land, even though they had paid him all he had said he considered it worth.

They would have willingly loaned him the money to pay off the mortgage if it could have been done as well; but that they thought at the time he would not accept, and George had purchased the wood-lot. Now, however, if it should be found that the land was very valuable, neither of the boys thought it right that they should reap the entire benefit, although they were legally entitled to do so.

They had feared that, by advancing the money to pay for the land, they would be seriously hampered in the search for the horses, and when they were obliged to give up the small amount which they had left, to the constable at Sawyer, it seemed certain that they would travel under many disadvantages. But this very lack of money had aided them. If they had had sufficient to pay for their lodging at the hotel at Babcock, the chances are that Bob would have remembered that the carriage needed oiling; they would not have been able to follow the men so closely next morning, nor would they have stopped at Mr. Folsom's, the only place where they could have learned of the whereabouts of those whom they were pursuing.

The purchase of this land, made as it was in pure charity, had been a great advantage to them, and if it should prove a valuable piece of property, they intended that Mr. Simpson should be equally benefited.

The title deeds had been left with Farmer Kenniston, while the boys were away, and there could be no question as to their proprietorship.

The only thing now was to learn whether there really was any oil on the land, and this they were about to do, although it would have pleased them much more if they were to go alone, rather than in company with the moonlighters who had caused them so much trouble.

Jim and Dick had their own team, and Bob proposed to use his horses in the double wagon, so that in case he wanted to return home before George and Ralph did, he could do so, and they could get Mr. Simpson to bring them down.

Since this was to be a regular prospecting trip, which might necessitate their remaining out of doors all night, blankets and provisions were packed into the wagon as before, while, in addition, George carried his surveyor's instruments, that he might be able to locate exactly the spot marked on the paper, in case they should have any difficulty in finding it.

On starting out, George insisted that they should first drive through Sawyer, in order that he might report to the constable, as he had promised; and, although the moonlighters did not fancy paying this visit, they were obliged to do so if they wanted to accompany the fortunate owners of the Simpson wood-lot on their prospecting trip.

There was no difficulty in finding the man who had arrested them on the night when time was of so much value to them, and by the reception which he gave George it was easy to see that he had changed his mind somewhat regarding his guilt, or had heard of the valuable assistance he had rendered during the conflagration.

"I will report to you at the time appointed," said George, after he had told the story of finding his horses; "and then I shall have no difficulty in proving that I knew nothing whatever about the transportation of the glycerine."

"And I believe that you will not, Mr. Harnett," replied the officer. "Since it is uncertain as to whether the case will be heard on the day set, you need not take the trouble to come here until I send you word. But I should like to see Mr. Hubbard once in a while, for he is so apt to fly off from one point to another that I shall never feel really certain of him until he appears."

"Now, see what it is to have a bad name," said Bob, with a grimace. "I ought to be trusted as entirely as George is, and yet I am not. Don't worry, Mr. Constable; I will be here in time for the examination, and I will also call upon you whenever I am in town."

Then Bob drove on toward the Simpson place, Jim and Dick having preceded the others, for they had no desire to meet a constable even in a friendly way.

Mr. Simpson was at home when the boys arrived at his farm, and the reception which both he and his wife gave Ralph and George was something to be remembered with pleasure by them for many a day.