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ut of repair for several years. Most of the windows were gone, and the front door stood wide open. As was to be expected, the four rooms the house contained were empty save for some straw on the floor and a pile of half-burnt sticks on the open hearth. "Some thieves must have come along and taken whatever there was of furniture," observed Jack. "Yes, and somebody has been using it for a place to bunk in," added Fred. "But I don't believe they have been here within the last few days," he added, with a look at the ashes on the hearth. From the house the boys proceeded to look around the farm, or ranch, if such it might be called. It was irregular in shape, one corner running over a hill and down towards a small brook. Here, to their surprise, they saw a pile of oil-drilling machinery, and a number of posts had been set up. On one of the posts was a placard reading: _The Carson Davenport Claim. Keep off._ "What do you know about this!" cried Jack, his eyes blazing. "Let's knock the sign down," suggested Fred quickly. "No, we won't do that--at least not yet, Fred. We'll wait until my father comes with those papers from Wichita Falls." In the soft soil they could see numerous tracks of automobiles and wagons which had passed that way. One of these tracks was fresh. "I'll bet that auto with Tate and Jackson was here just before we came!" cried Randy. "Those fellows are certainly on the job. They probably believe that 'possession is nine points of the law.'" "And it may be down here," said Jack, his face clouding. "The authorities haven't things under their control in a wild country like this as they have in and around the big cities." There were no oil wells near the Spell tract, and to get to the nearest the lads had to tramp over another hill, a distance of more than a quarter of a mile. Here they found several wells in operation, the combined flow of which, they were told, amounted to about four hundred barrels per day. "Not so bad, when you consider this oil is worth about two dollars and a half a barrel," remarked Jack. "That makes a thousand dollars a day," returned Fred. "Gee, just think of taking in that much every twenty-four hours!" The boys were told that another well was to be shot off that afternoon. This was located about half a mile away, and they resolved to visit the place, first, however, stopping by the roadside for lunch. They were told where they could get a drink of wat
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