ious antipathy to oil fields. Grandma
Watterby always insisted it was because he was not a Reservation
Indian and, unlike many of them, owned no oil lands.

"I'd go with you myself," she declared brightly, "if the misery in
my back wasn't a little mite onery this mornin'. Racketing about in
that contraption o' yours, I reckon, wouldn't be the best kind of
liniment for cricks like mine."

So only Mr. Gordon, Betty and Bob started for the fields.

"I saw a horse that I think will about suit you, Betty," said her
uncle when they were well away from the house. "I'm having it sent
out to-morrow. She is reputed gentle and used to being ridden by a
woman. Then, if we can pick up some kind of a nag for Bob, you two
needn't be tied down to the farm. All the orders I have for you is
that you're to keep away from the town. Ride as far into the country
as you like."

"But, Mr. Gordon," protested Bob, "I don't want you to get a horse
for me! I'd rather have a job. Isn't there something I can do out at
the oil fields? I'm used to looking out for myself."

"Look here, young man," came the reply with mock severity, "I thought
I told you you had a job on your hands looking after Betty. I meant
it. I can't go round on these inspection trips unless I can feel that
she is all right. And, by the way, have you any objection to calling
me Uncle Dick? I think I rather fancy the idea of a nephew."

Bob, of course, felt more at ease then, and Betty, too, was pleased.
The boy found it easy to call Mr. Gordon "Uncle Dick," and as time
went on and they became firmer friends it seemed most natural that he
should do so.

They were approaching the oil fields gradually, the road, which was
full of treacherous ruts, being anything but straight. Whenever they
met a team or another car, which was infrequently, they had to stop
far to one side and let the other vehicle pass. Betty was much
impressed with her first near view of the immense derricks.

"What a lot of them!" she said. "Just like a forest, isn't it, Uncle
Dick?"

Her uncle frowned preoccupiedly.

"Those are not our fields," he announced curtly. "They're mostly the
property of small lease-holders. It is mighty wasteful, Betty, to
drill like that, cutting up the land into small holdings, and is
bound to make trouble. They have no storage facilities, and if the
pipe lines can't take all the oil produced, there is congestion right
away. Also many of the leases are on short terms, and t