red man impatiently. "In
this case we simply have to give a lease. The man's been coached, and
he won't turn over his land without something to show for it. I tell
you we'll get a lawyer we can control to draw the papers, and they
won't bind us, whatever they exact of the other fellow. Don't upset
the scheme by one of your obstinate fits."

"Call me stubborn, if you like," said Blosser. "For my part, I think
you're crazy to consider any kind of papers. A mule-headed farmer,
armed with a lease, can put us both out of business if the thing's
managed right; and trust some smart lawyer to be on hand to give
advice at an unlucky moment. Hello!" he broke off suddenly, "isn't
that Dan Carson over there on the other side, smoking a cigarette?"

Bob peeped over his paper and saw the dark-eyed man spring from his
seat and hurry across the aisle where a large, fat, jovial-looking
individual was puffing contentedly on a cigarette.

"Cal Blosser!" boomed the big man in a voice heard over the car.
"Well, well, if this isn't like old times! Glad to see you, glad to
see you. What's that? Jack Fluss with you? Lead me to the boy, bless
his old heart!"

The two came back to the seat ahead of Bob, and there was a great
handshaking, much slapping on the back, and a general chorus of,
"Well, you're looking great," and "How's the world been treating
you?" before the man called Dan Carson tipped over the seat ahead and
sat down facing the two gray-clad men.

"I'm glad to see you for more reasons than one," said Blosser,
passing around fresh cigars. "Who's behind us, Dan?" He lowered his
voice. "Only a kid? Oh, all right. Well, Jack here, has been working
on an oil scheme for the last two weeks, and this morning he comes
out with the bright idea of giving some desert farmer a lease for his
property. Can you get over that?"

Three spirals of tobacco smoke curled above the seats, and when Bob
lifted his gaze from the paper he could see the round, good-natured
face of the fat man beaming through the gray veil.

"What you want to go to that trouble for?" he drawled, after a pause.
Clearly he was never hurried into an answer. "Seems to me, Jack, this
is a case where the youngster shows good judgment. Where you fixing
to operate?"

"Oklahoma," was the comprehensive answer. "Oil's the thing to-day.
There's more money being made in the fields over night than we used
to think was in the United States mint."

"Oil's good," said the fat man ju