Edward Stratemeyer

“ He threw pepper in my eyes!"
"You hound, you!" exclaimed Jack, and even though his eyes smarted not a little from the few grains of pepper that had entered, he managed to leap upon the bully and give him a swinging crack in the jaw. But then Werner threw the young captain backward over a rock, and just as Andy and Spouter put in an appearance he dodged in among some heavy brushwood and quickly disappeared.
"What did he do?" demanded Spouter.
"He threw something in our eyes. Ruth got the worst of it," answered Jack. "Go on after him; we'll have to attend to our eyes." ”

“ It was decided that the boys should take no baggage but what would go in their suitcases for the trip, and these were speedily packed. In the meanwhile, Dick Rover obtained the necessary railroad tickets and sleeping-car accommodations.
"Hurrah! we're off for Texas and the oil fields!" cried Fred.
"Off for the land of luck!" exclaimed Dick Rover, with a smile.
"The land of luck?" questioned Jack. "Is that what they call it, Dad?"
"Yes, Son. And it's truly the land of luck for some. For others it is the land of bitter disappointment." ”

“ In the meantime Nappy and Slugger came forward again with Werner close behind them.
"You tried to run things to suit yourselves up at Colby Hall," sneered Slugger. "But you'll find it a different story down here."
"Don't you dare to tell any stories about us," warned Nappy. "If you do you'll get in bad, mark my words. I've stood all I'm going to stand from your crowd."
"If you are behaving yourself and trying to earn an honest living, we'll have nothing to say to anybody about your past," answered Jack. ”

“ All were willing, for climbing around the rocks had made the young folks hungry. Mary and Spouter led the way back, with the others straggling behind.
"What are you going to do this summer, Jack?" questioned Ruth on the way.
"We haven't made any plans yet, Ruth. I want to see my father first of all."
"I don't blame you for that. You must be glad to think he is coming back safe and sound. And just to think that he won a medal! Isn't it perfectly wonderful!" and her eyes beamed with pleasure.
"It sure is! Oh, my dad's a wonderful man—the best in the world!" ”

“ Such a glorious baseball victory as this could not be passed off lightly by the cadets of Colby Hall. They arranged for a grand celebration that night, with bonfires along the river front and a generous collation served in the gymnasium. They were allowed to invite a few of their boy friends, and all made the most of it.
"It's a pity we can't have you girls," said Jack, when they were parting with Ruth and the others.
"Never mind, Jack; I'm happy to think that you won the game," answered the girl. ”

“ The stream, which at this point was nothing more than a mountain torrent, boiled and foamed as it dashed over the rocks.
"It certainly is getting high," said Jack, as all paused for a moment to catch their breath. "I can't remember having seen it like this before."
"Just look at the stuff coming down, will you?" remarked Fred. "There is a whole lot of good firewood going to waste."
"I guess some one will pick it up by the time it reaches the lake, Fred," said Randy. "There are a lot of poor people down at Haven Point who get all their Winter firewood from this river." ”

“ Jack mused for a moment. "This looks more like the work of Gabe Werner to me."
"Oh, Jack! suppose he should attack you some time when you weren't aware?"
"That's a risk a fellow has to run. Of course, I expect to keep on my guard, not only against Gabe Werner but also against Martell, Brown and Glutts. The whole four don't like any of our crowd."
"But just read the dreadful thing he says," continued the girl, as she caught Jack tightly by the arm. "He says he'll pound your face into a jelly! Oh, Jack! don't you ever give him a chance to do that," and Ruth's face showed her solicitude. ”

“ I rather think, however, that there were at least three men."
"And if there were, I'll bet a new hat those men were Davenport, Tate, and Jackson," returned Jack firmly.
"You may be right, Son. But you know what they say in court: It is one thing to know the truth, and quite another to be able to prove it."
"But who would want to steal those papers if not Davenport and his crowd?" questioned Randy. And then he added hurriedly: "Did they rob you of anything else, Uncle Dick?"
"I don't think so." Dick Rover felt in his pockets. "No, my money and watch and my diamond ring are all safe. ”

“ By this time the rain was nothing more than a fine drizzle.
"Not exactly," answered Jack. "We are cadets attending Colby Hall Military Academy."
"Oh, yes, I've heard about that school," said the man. "They tell me it's a very fine place. Well, all I've got to say is, if all the boys there are as brave as you lads you certainly must have a bang-up crowd," and he smiled broadly. Then he clapped Jack on his shoulder. ”

“ In those days the Rover boys became almost as enthusiastic as Jack's father, and their enthusiasm increased when Tom Rover and Sam Rover took a run down from New York to see how matters were progressing.
"It certainly is a gamble—this boring for oil," remarked Sam Rover.
"But it looks like a good gamble to me," answered his brother Tom. "And I like the way that man Fitch talks." He had had an interview with the oil expert which had pleased him greatly.
On one occasion the Rover boys rode over from Pottown to Columbina. ”

“ Glutts and Werner considered that they had been brought into ill repute by the connivance of the Rovers and their chums, and they were exceedingly bitter against the cadets.
"We are certainly making some real enemies," was the way Jack expressed himself. "First Nappy and Slugger, and now Glutts and Werner. Every one of those fellows will do all he can to injure us."
"Well, all we can do is to keep our eyes open for them," was Randy's reply. "Personally, I'm not afraid of any of them."
"They are all sneaks, and sneaks are always cowards," added Fred. ”

“ He was not going to admit that the injury to his eyes was making him feel sick all over.
May sat beside Ruth and did what she could for the sufferer. All of the boys bent to their oars and a straight course was taken for the town.
"Wouldn't it be dreadful if Ruth was blinded for life?" remarked Alice Strobell on the way.
"Oh, Alice! don't suggest such a thing as that," came from Annie Larkins in horror.
"Well, people have been blinded in that way more than once," remarked Randy. "It all depends on how bad a dose she got."
"Jack said the pepper must have been intended for him," came from Andy. ”

“ A good oil well, or series of wells, is a splendid paying proposition in these days, and I'd like first rate to get possession of such a holding and then start a first-class oil company."
"Oh, there are millions in oil! I know that!" burst out Martha. "Why, I was reading in a magazine only the other day of some folks in Texas who were quite poor. They had a farm of less than a hundred acres, and could make barely a living on it. Then the oil prospectors came along and located a well or two, and now those poor farm people have so much money they don't know what to do with it." ”

“ John Franklin listened attentively to the story, and his eyes flashed angrily when the names of Tate and Jackson were mentioned.
"Those are the swindlers who were trying to do me out of my property!" he ejaculated. "And I'm of the opinion this Carson Davenport was in with them. They are a bunch of crooks, and nothing else. They ought all to be in prison."
"Well, they'll land there sooner or later if they don't look out," returned Fred.
"If I was your father I would have nothing to do with this Davenport or the men acting with him," went on Mr. Franklin to Jack. ”

“ At first Davenport did his best to smooth matters over, but gradually, as Dick Rover managed to draw out one fact after another, the oil well promoter showed more or less irritation. Dick's shrewdness bothered him, and finally he hardly knew how to proceed.
"You take it from me, Rover, the only way for us to do is to work this thing together," he remarked. "One claim is just as good as the other, and what is the use of our getting into a dispute over it when we are not real certain that there is oil on the land?" ”

“ It certainly is the greatest gamble of the age. One minute you have nothing, and the next, if you are lucky, the oil is pouring thousands of dollars into your pocket every week."
"It's the land of luck, all right enough," answered Fred.
"And you mustn't forget one thing," added Jack. "There are just as many failures as there are successes. There have been millions and millions of dollars sunk in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, and some promoters haven't got even a smell of oil for their money."
When the lads returned to the hotel they found that several letters had come in for them. ”

“ When Carson Davenport learned that six of his men had deserted and gone over to the Rovers he was more angry than ever.
"They're going to do their best to undermine us," he said to Tate. "I wish I knew just how to get square with them."
"We'll get square enough if we strike oil here," said Tate. "Those Rovers will feel sick enough if they learn we are making a barrel of money."
"It's easy enough to talk about making a barrel of money," came from Jackson, who was present. "But I don't see the money flowing in very fast." ”

“ They found the lad all smiles.
"It's the best news I ever heard," said Phil, his eyes gleaming with pleasure. "Now, dad and I will have a chance of making some real money." For it had now been settled that John Franklin was to have an eighth interest in the new company to be formed.
"I'm awfully glad my dad is going ahead on your farm," answered 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." ”

“ Two more days passed, and still Dick Rover did not return from Wichita Falls. The boys went out sightseeing and amused themselves as best they could, but this was not saying much. The most fun they had was in a shooting-gallery where they astonished the proprietor by the bull's-eyes they made.
"You young fellows are some shots," said he. "You must be used to guns."
"We are," answered Fred.
The four Rovers had gone into the target gallery directly after supper and while it was still light. Now, when they came out, Jack suggested that they return to the hotel. ”

“ CHAPTER XXV DAVENPORT'S ACCUSATION
"Then the Lorimer Spell claim is positively no good!" exclaimed Jack.
"I wouldn't say that exactly, Jack. No claim down here can be said to be worthless until it has actually been bored for oil. It is just possible that those oil experts may be mistaken. At the same time, from what Mr. Fitch said, I would be very slow about putting money in that land."
"It's too bad, Uncle Dick, if that claim's no good when we all supposed it would be so wonderful," came from Fred, and his face showed his disappointment. ”

“ This was at a time when Tate and Davenport, as well as the other men, were trying to get possession of the Spell land, feeling sure that there was oil on it. They had been on the point of communicating with Dick Rover, thinking they might get the claim away from him, when he had surprised the whole crowd by his unexpected appearance in Columbina.
"We've got to have quick action in this," declared Jake Tate. "The longer we delay the worse off we'll be." ”

“ If you want to get up to Smedley's I reckon you'll have to hoof it."
"Come on, Dad, let's walk up there," said Jack.
"But your suitcases are pretty heavy," answered his father, with a smile.
"Oh, we won't mind those," declared Fred. "We've hiked around with just as much to carry many times."
"I sha'n't mind it myself," declared his uncle. "Campaigning in France was a splendid thing to harden one's muscles."
They set off down the one business street of which Columbina boasted. They had to pick their way carefully along the dilapidated boardwalk. At one point they came opposite O'Brian's Hotel. ”

“ I'll swing against you," called Andy quickly.
"Not much!" was Ned's ready reply. "I know you can beat me. See what you can do against Walt Baxter."
Walt Baxter was a clean-cut athletic youth who had made good in various contests in the gymnasium and on the baseball and football field. He was the son of Dan Baxter, who at one time had been a bitter enemy of the older Rovers. But the senior Baxter had reformed, and his son was well liked by the younger Rovers.
"All right, Walt," called out Andy. "Do you want to swing against me or against my brother Randy?" ”

“ You see, I'm handicapped for money. I could get some capitalists interested, but they generally want the lion's share of the proceeds, and that I don't want to give them."
"I don't blame you," said Fred. "You ought to get the most of the money if the oil is found on your land."
"I'm telling dad to take his time," put in Phil Franklin. "The land won't run away, and the more oil wells that are producing around us, the more valuable our place will become."
"But what brought you young fellows down here?" questioned the man. "Are you on a sightseeing tour?"
"Not altogether," answered Jack. ”