Jack Winters' Campmates Part 17

"Sure you must, Jack," breathed Toby, instantly falling in with the scheme, as he usually did with anything originating in his companion's fertile brain. "Once they saw that thing, with Mr. Maurice standing near the foot of the same, there'd be no trouble convincing a jury he was guilty."

Jack lost no further time. He appeared quite anxious to close in before the sun got too low in the heavens to allow a good strong picture. The wind continued to favor them as before; and all doubt about the dog being tied up was removed when once they had caught a glimpse of the beast sitting disconsolately on his haunches in front of what appeared to be a rude kennel made from the hollow b.u.t.t of a big tree.

All the while they were thus creeping up they could hear the men calling out to one another. Jack suspected from the excited tenor of their conversation that some great crisis was drawing near. He watched them working at the foot of the derrick, and soon had convictions concerning the nature of their labor.

Unable to resist the temptation to learn whether his suspicions regarding the presence of oil deep down in the earth were well founded or not, and possibly urged on also by some speculator whom he had taken into the secret, Dangerfield had finally consented to "shoot" the well, and settle the question once for all.

Apparently a kind Fate had led Jack and Toby to the spot just when the crisis was reached. They were likely to witness the operation and learn the result, though uninvited, and unwelcome guests.

By degrees they managed to get close enough up to suit the purposes of the intending photographer. If they ventured any further they ran a great risk of being seen by one of the men, or else scented by the keen nose of the dog. Already Jack could see from the actions of the beast that his suspicions had been aroused. He no longer sat there as before, watching the men, but walked up and down from side to side as far as his tether would allow, sniffing the air in a significant manner, and occasionally giving a doleful howl; at which one of the workers would turn to make a threatening gesture, and call out angrily at him.

Undoubtedly every one of them must be worked up to a state of nervous tension, and the actions of the dog irritated his owner.

From the way in which Jack now commenced to act Toby knew he was getting ready to snap off a picture. He picked away the green leaves in front of him so as to allow of a small round opening. Through this he expected to sight his camera, and get the oil derrick in focus; after which a slight click would announce that his object had been accomplished.

Toby crouched there, fairly holding his breath. He knew that Jack did not wish any further attempt to be made to hold even the briefest of conversations. Toby, bound to witness whatever was going on out there in the open, had copied the example set by his comrade, and picked away the leaves that intervened, allowing himself an admirable peephole.

Here he knelt and watched and waited. Jack evidently was quite particular. He undoubtedly wanted his picture to be an excellent one, and would not risk failure through being in too great a hurry. It seemed to the impatient Toby that an hour must have pa.s.sed since they ensconced themselves in their present location, when he just faintly caught the antic.i.p.ated click that announced the accomplishment of Jack's work.

Twisting his head slightly around Toby could see his chum calmly turning the film so as to bring another blank in line for a second shot. Jack believed in making sure of such an important picture. Far better to waste good films than to find that he had failed to get as clear a negative as he wished.

Again he snapped off the scene, doubtless with the idea of catching Dangerfield in full view, with his face exposed toward the camera, so that he might be readily recognized by one who knew him as well as his aunt did.

Nor did Jack stop there, but prepared for a third exposure. When he did not press the bulb, but only held himself in readiness to do at a second's warning, Toby suddenly grasped what must undoubtedly be in the other's mind. Jack meant to try his best to secure a picture of the "shooting" of the oil well, if such a thing lay within the bounds of possibility! It was a splendid idea, and fairly staggered Toby by its immensity; but then Jack always aimed high, and dared attempt things that might seem far beyond attainment when viewed through the eyes of other boys.

Well, whatever was in the wind, Toby thought, it would not be long in developing now, judging from the increased tension out there where men were running back and forth, calling to each other, and some of them removing valuable instruments used in the boring as though to a place of safety.

Yes, it was coming, and hidden there in their leafy retreat he and Jack would be able to witness the great event. Toby was ready to call himself an exceedingly lucky fellow, to be given this wonderful privilege, it must have seemed a momentous thing even had they been present with the knowledge of those oil workers; but the fact of lying concealed and spying upon the group, added immensely to the thrill of the situation, Toby thought.

Now and again he would shoot an apprehensive glance in the direction of the dog. Toby did not exactly like the looks of the beast, nor his actions either. Plainly the animal shared the excitement of the men, or else he suspected the presence of intruders near by, and was becoming wild to break loose and find them.

He jumped from side to side, and strained at his tether violently, while uttering sharp, snappy barks, and low vicious growls. His master, not comprehending what ailed the animal, picked up a stick and advanced toward him threateningly; whereat the beast crept into his stump kennel; only to come out again almost immediately and strain to get loose once more.

Toby was greatly exercised lest that rope give way. If such a thing happened he knew it would be all up with himself and Jack, for they would have to defend themselves against the hound's teeth, and must inevitably be made prisoners by some of the men.

What would happen then was an unpleasant thought for Toby to entertain.

Why, it might be they would be kept there until Maurice had been to see Priscilla, and coaxed her to give him an option on the property; which would really be too bad. So Toby hoped, and watched, and waited, to see the climax, his attention divided between the hound dog and the oil derrick, where the cl.u.s.ter of men moved to and fro.

The minutes were "shod with lead," according to Toby's notion, and he ought to know what that meant, after his recent experience along the line of anxiety; if something did not happen pretty soon he feared he would be worked up to such a pitch that he must give a yell, or burst.

And then again, unless the great event came about inside of fifteen or twenty minutes surely Jack would be unable to get the kind of picture on which his heart was set.

Then Toby fell rigid, and stared again through his peephole. The men were hurrying away from the vicinity of the derrick now! Plainly the stage was set for the closing scene of the strange little woods drama, and the time had arrived to make use of the electric battery in order to fire the dynamite cartridge lowered into the hole from which the boring tool had been lifted.

Toby held his breath from very awe, and pressed his face still further into the leafy screen. No danger of discovery now, since those men were one and all watching the derrick, as though it were a magnet that held their attention as the North Pole draws the needle of the mariner's compa.s.s.

Suddenly there was a quiver to the earth, and a dull deep-seated roar.

Then an unseen giant arose in his might, and tossed the derrick upwards as though it were composed of mere straws. With the flying timbers came what seemed to be a stream of dirty water, flying far up in the air, as though a fireman's hose had been turned on! That must be the dark-looking crude oil, mingled with water, Toby conjectured, as he continued to gape and wonder. Then after all the suspicions of Maurice Dangerfield had proven true, and the Pontico Hills region did harbor rich deposits of valuable oil!

He hoped Jack had been equal to the emergency, and pressed the rubber bulb of his camera just at the instant when remnants of the dislocated derrick, and that rush of precious mineral oil stood out against the eastern heavens so wonderfully clear!

CHAPTER XX

OUT OF THE WOODS--CONCLUSION

"Now, let's get away from here while the going is good," said Jack in the ear of his companion, after he had taken yet another view of the scene, with the excited men running forward toward the sprouting oil well, which possibly they might later on seek to plug up, if such a thing were possible.

Toby was nothing loth. He had seen all he wanted, and still feared lest that hound dog might either break loose, or else be given his liberty by his master, either case meaning immediate trouble and exposure for the two lads.

Once they had withdrawn to some little distance and they could increase their pace, Jack seemed to be fairly bubbling over with delight, since all his plans had worked out so admirably. If those pictures only turned out as well as he antic.i.p.ated he expected to have a pretty spread to show Miss Priscilla Haydock when once more he sought an interview with her. And certainly the clever schemes of the plotting nephew would be nipped in the bud.

"Are we heading for the camp, Jack?" asked Toby, a little nervously, because he knew a long and arduous journey stared them in the face, much of which would have to be undertaken after night had fallen; and the prospect of going through those dark wildcat-infested woods in the gloom, even with a little electric torch to aid them, was far from a pleasing thought.

"No, there's no need of our hurrying like that," the other told him, greatly to Toby's delight. "We'll just go a mile or so further on, and hunt up a retired gully, where we can make a little fire if we want it, and pa.s.s the night in true hunters' style."

This they proceeded to do. There was no difficulty about finding just such a gully, because there were dozens from which to make a selection.

And the chances of their being discovered seemed negligible, according to Jack. Still, on the way he took some pains to lose the scent by having Toby copy his example, and wading for some little distance along in a brook. Water leaves no trail that a dog can follow, and so Jack felt that he was making things additionally secure by taking this trouble.

They had their fire, and warmed some water in a cup Jack carried; with which they made a mess of malted milk. It was not equal to fragrant coffee, both boys agreed, but better than cold water.

So they sat there munching their supper, and exchanging comments. There was much of interest to talk about, for the wonderful things they had just witnessed would always remain fresh in their memories.

"I'll develop the film as soon as I can," Jack was saying later on, after the shades of night had gathered around them, and they allowed the little fire to go out as an insurance against discovery through its glow, which might be seen some distance away. "Then if things turn out well I might take a run down to town, leaving the camp in charge of you fellows for a day, and hurrying back again."

"Do you mean with old Moses to take you?" asked Toby, incredulously; "you'd have to figure on two days at his rate of travel, Jack."

"Oh! I've got a scheme that can beat that all hollow," laughed the boy who was forever observing things, and turning them to his advantage when the occasion or the necessity arose. "Down the road three miles you remember we saw the last farm, and quite an extensive one at that. I paid particular attention to the fact that the owner had a flivver of a car in his shed, as most farmers do in these enlightened days. I'll pay him well to take me to Chester and back. He can be doing some errand in town while waiting for me. And since we're not limited as to money in a game that might mean hundreds of thousands to Miss Priscilla, I'm sure I can get my ride, if I have to coax the farmer with a promise of twenty dollars."

They had a quiet night, though from time to time when he chanced to be awake Toby listened to the barking of the hound dog with a little trace of his former apprehension. But nothing happened to disturb them, and with the coming of morning they made another small fire, at which they prepared a warm drink from the malted milk; and even after a fas.h.i.+on had a queer tasting omelette, using some of the egg powder with milk added.

Toby made a grimace while eating, but nevertheless finished his share of the omelette that had been cooked on a smooth flat stone, placed over the red-hot embers of the fire.

Afterwards they set out for camp. Trudging along steadily, and without any going astray, the pair finally arrived just when Steve was busying himself in getting up a midday meal, and wisely cooking enough for three while about it.

Of course Steve was wild to hear what had happened. And as it would be cruel to keep the poor fellow in suspense, after he had so willingly stayed at home, Jack told him what they had seen and accomplished.

Steve was delighted. He danced a regular sailor's hornpipe upon hearing how the several pictures had been snapped off, while the men remained in utter ignorance of the presence of the two boys near by.

Toby, too, related how nervous the barking dog had made him, and how much he had feared lest the beast break loose, and disclose their presence back of that leafy screen.

Once the midday meal had been disposed of Jack busied himself with his daylight developing tank. Toby hovered near, and seemed just as anxious as could be concerning the ultimate results. When Jack showed him the negatives, looking particularly clear in blacks and whites, Toby gave a whoop of pleasure.

"They'll make dandy pictures, believe me, Jack!" he cried, after closely examining the roll of film the other was holding up, after fixing the same, and starting to wash the hypo off. "Why, I warrant you, with a magnifying gla.s.s there'll be no trouble at all in identifying that Maurice and his crowd one by one, as they were nearly all facing the camera when you shut it off. And say, you've caught the pyramid of timbers and oil and stones just at its height! Shake hands on the strength of your big scoop, Jack!"

The artist himself fairly beamed with joy. He knew that he had met with abounding success in his task, which had been one few professional photographers could have accomplished as well.

He meant to dry the film that afternoon, and if the sun remained strong enough he could make some prints. If not, possibly he might succeed with his little electric hand-torch after darkness had come.