old them of what Bob had found, and then he realized how good the
evidences of oil were, for the boys were in a perfect fever of delight
as he explained what they had seen. Then he told them of what he thought
was a mad scheme on Bob's part, his intention to begin sinking a well
even before he had any money to carry on the work, and instead of being
surprised at their partner's rashness, as he had expected they would be,
they seemed to think it a very natural course for him to pursue.

They had quite as "wild" an attack as Bob had had, and although Ralph
was surprised at it then, he soon grew accustomed to such phases of the
"oil fever," after he had seen more of the business.

Jim and Dick insisted on going out to see what their partner had
discovered, not satisfied with Ralph's description, and while they were
gone he tried to convince himself that this possibility of his becoming
rich, even before he had been obliged to struggle with the world, was
true, and not a dream.

He was sitting on the wood-pile, arguing to himself as to whether Bob
might not be mistaken, when Mr. Simpson came out of the house with the
report that George was sleeping, and he decided to tell him the news, to
see if he would be as confident as the others.

But before he could speak, Jim and Dick came up, panting, but
triumphant.

"That's the biggest thing I ever saw!" said Jim, as he wiped the
perspiration from his face, and then turning to Mr. Simpson, he added,
"That wood-lot is worth about a thousand times as much as you got for
it."

"Eh? What's that?" asked the old man, with his hand to his ear, as if
distrustful that it had performed its duty correctly.

"Why, Bob has found the oil."

"Yes," added Dick, "and it shows up better than anything I ever saw
around here."

"It is true, Mr. Simpson," said Ralph, as the old man still looked
incredulous. "Bob found signs of oil this morning, which he says are
wonderfully good. I don't wonder that you can't believe it, for I
haven't succeeded yet, and I was with Bob when he found it."

"Oil on the wood-lot!" repeated Mr. Simpson, in a dazed sort of way.

"Yes, sir, and tanks of it!" replied Jim.

"I am more glad than I can say," replied the old man, fervently, "for
now you and Mr. Harnett will be rewarded for your generosity to an old
man whom you hardly knew or cared for. It was not to be that I should
have it, and it wouldn't have done me much good if I had, for mother an'
I are mos