ck
had taken his measures for the flank movement, and knew just when they
had gone far enough. The passing air fanning his cheek told him that
much. Besides, occasionally they heard some sign from the dog; which
Jack judged must be tied up, from the fretful character of his
mouthings. There is all the difference in the world between the cheerful
bark of a hound free to go and come, and the depressed utterance of one
that is fastened to kennel or tree by rope or chain.

Thus another half hour slipped by.

"I hear voices, Jack," whispered the trembling Toby, when they had been
creeping forward for some little time after resuming their forward
progress.

The other did not reply, only pressed a forefinger upon his lips, and
nodded his head in the affirmative. Toby understood from this that
communications between them were to be exceedingly limited in scope from
that time on; and when necessary, must be made in the most cautious of
tones.

Shortly afterwards they had a glimpse of moving objects some little
distance beyond. They could easily make them out to be several men,
roughly dressed as a rule, and who seemed to be rushing this way and
that as though laboring under considerable stress of excitement.

But both boys saw more than that. Reared against the low sky-line was a
skeleton framework made of timbers. Jack had never actually seen an oil
derrick before in his life, but he knew that this was one. Undoubtedly
their guess had been a true one. Maurice Dangerfield, the unscrupulous
nephew of Miss Priscilla, was so convinced there was oil to be found on
her property that he had entered into an arrangement with some
experienced parties accustomed to putting down wells to make an
experimental boring, and the skeleton framework had been used in
carrying out the said sinking.

"They've gone and done it, as sure as anything, Jack," whispered Toby,
feeling that it was still safe to do this, since the men were all at
some little distance from them; and moreover seemed completely engrossed
with what gripped their attention. "That's an oil derrick and they've
sunk a trial well. Isn't it so, Jack?"

"No question about it, Toby. We must move around a dozen feet, so as to
find fresh cover; then we'll keep on creeping up. I'd like above
everything to get close enough to snap off a picture of that derrick."

"Sure you must, Jack," breathed Toby, instantly falling in with the
scheme, as he usually did with anything originating