out what the trouble is when he comes back, and let you
know," replied George.

And with this answer, Bob went back to his work, thinking it very
singular that Ralph, who had always been so good-natured, should have
suddenly become so crusty.

Twice during the remainder of the forenoon, Bob came to the house with
some trifling excuse for so doing, but really to learn if Ralph had
returned; and while he was there the last time, talking with George
about the probabilities of striking sand or gravel rock, the junior
partner returned.

He had with him some official-looking documents, and, as he entered the
house, he said to Bob, speaking quite sharply without any intention of
so doing, and yet resolving all the moonlighter's suspicions into
certainties:

"I want some witnesses to George's signature. Will you bring Mr.
Simpson, Jim and Dick here?"

Bob arose silently to comply with the request, looked at Ralph
wonderingly and reproachfully an instant, and then left the room.

While he was absent, George told his friend of the moonlighter's
trouble, and the two were making merry over it, when he returned with
the witnesses Ralph had asked for.

The papers were handed to George, who signed both of them, and then
asked Jim and Dick to sign their names as witnesses to his signature.
Ralph had already signed them while in town.

Then, purposely taking considerable time about it, Ralph examined the
documents as if to make sure that all was correct, and said:

"Mr. Simpson, after George and I learned there was a chance that oil
would be found on your wood-lot, we agreed that you should share equally
with us in whatever might come of it. For that purpose I went into town,
and have had a deed drawn up, giving you an equal share with us."

"But I don't want none of it," said the old man, in a trembling voice,
while there was a suspicious moisture in his eyes. "I sold the land to
you as I'd a' sold it to anybody else, and whatever's there you own."

"But the deed is made out now, and there is no use for you to protest
against it," said George; and, without giving the old man time to reply,
he added, as he turned to Ralph: "Now I understand that there has been
some trouble between you and Bob, or he fancies there has."

Bob motioned to George to be silent; but it was too late, and Ralph
said:

"The only trouble is that I chose to go away this morning without
telling him where I was going. Then I owned one-half of the wo