ed Jack.
"And I hope for your sake as well as our own that the wells prove
regular gushers."

"That Mr. Fitch was very hopeful," answered Phil. "And my father says
he's one of the best oil experts to be found anywhere. He's an old hand
at the game."

That week and the week following proved to be tremendously busy ones for
Dick Rover. In conference with Nick Ogilvie and several others, all the
work preliminary to the sinking of the two wells was gotten under way,
and deals were closed for nearly all the necessary machinery, and also
for a quantity of lumber to be used in the construction of several
buildings.

"We're going to stay right in our house," said Phil to the other boys.
"We sha'n't get out until the flow of oil compels us to."

"Well, I hope the oil comes so fast it floats the old shack away,"
grinned Andy.

It soon became noised around that The Rover Oil Company had been formed
to exploit the Franklin farm. In the meanwhile Nick Ogilvie and his
assistants were hustling as much as possible to obtain the needed
workmen. They managed to get together a gang of fifteen, but then there
came a halt.

"They are hitting it up for oil over the line in Oklahoma," declared
Ogilvie, "and that has taken away a good many of our workmen."

"Better go to Wichita Falls and see what you can do," suggested Dick
Rover.

The next day Jack and Andy, while riding in George Rogers' automobile,
ran across three of the men employed by Davenport. These men had had a
quarrel with Tate, and were on the point of leaving their job. They
listened with interest to what the boys had to say about the Franklin
place.

"If they want men I think I'll go over and see about it," said one of
the workmen.

"So will I," came from another; and the third nodded to show that he
agreed.

As a result of this interview the three men called on Nick Ogilvie and
were speedily engaged. They told some of their friends; and before the
week was up six of Carson Davenport's best workers had left the Spell
claim and had signed up to work on the Franklin farm.

CHAPTER XXIX

DAYS OF ANXIETY

"I wonder what Davenport will say when he finds those men are working
here?" remarked Fred.

"I don't care what he says," answered Jack.

"Do you think he'll dare come over here and have it out with Uncle
Dick?" questioned Andy.

"I don't think so," answered his brother. "I believe behind it all he is
afraid we'll have him arrested for the theft of