k full in the face.

"That's what I firmly believe."

Jack had scarcely uttered the words when he felt a heavy hand placed
upon his shoulder. He was whirled around, to find himself face to face
with the oil promoter.

[Illustration: JACK WAS WHIRLED AROUND AND FACED THE OIL PROMOTER.]

"So that is the way you are talking about me, is it?" cried Carson
Davenport, in a rage. "Calling me a thief, and all that sort of thing! I
reckon I have an account to settle with you, and I'll settle it right
now. You come with me."

And thus speaking he grasped Jack by the arm and dragged him across the
field to where his gang of men were at work.

CHAPTER XXVIII

AT THE FRANKLIN PLACE

Carson Davenport's action came so unexpectedly that for the instant Jack
did not know what to do. Then, however, he tried to wrench himself free
from the oil well promoter's grasp.

"You let go of me!" he cried. "Let go, I say!" And then, as Davenport
continued to hold him, he struck the man on the chest.

"Ha! you're the same kind of a spitfire as your father, are you?"
bellowed Davenport. And in a greater rage than ever he let go of Jack
and hit him a stinging blow on the side of the face.

"Hi! Stop that! How dare you?" yelled Randy, and sprang forward to
Jack's assistance. But before he could reach his cousin Jack had hauled
off and hit Davenport a blow in the cheek.

By this time all of the Rovers were advancing upon Davenport, and the
oil well promoter thought it the best policy to fall back.

"Come on, Nappy! Let's get into this!" cried Slugger, and, rushing
forward, he caught Randy by the shoulder. "You let them have it out
alone!" he ordered.

"This isn't your fight, Slugger, and you had better keep out of it,"
retorted Randy. And then, as Slugger still tried to hold him back, Randy
put out his foot, gave the bully a shove, and Slugger measured his
length on his back.

In the meanwhile Nappy had also sprung forward. He tried to get at Jack,
but Andy and Fred got in the way, and though Nappy struck out several
times, hitting both of the Rovers on the arm, they retaliated with a
stinging crack in the ear and another on the nose which caused the blood
to flow freely and made Nappy retire to a safe distance.

By this time the all-around fight had attracted the attention of a
number of the workmen, and they came rushing up to find out what it was
all about. The driver of the automobile, who had remained in the car,
also c