"THE HARNETT."
It surely seemed as if the good news which Ralph and Bob had imparted to
him was all that was needed to cause George's rapid improvement. From
the day when they had told him of what they had done and were doing, his
recovery was so rapid that at the end of a week he was sufficiently
strong to sit up a short time each day, and the physician predicted that
in another week he would be able to take a walk out of doors.
Meantime, the work at the well had progressed most favorably. There had
been no serious breakages, no vexatious delays, no trouble of any
important character. In fact, the workmen expressed it as their
conviction that it would be a "lucky well," because of the singular
freedom from accidents with which the entire work had been attended. Bob
was in the highest possible state of excitement all the time. Each
morning he anticipated that they would have some trouble which would
delay them, when he was anxious to have the work completed as soon as
possible, and each night, after matters had gone on smoothly, he held
forth to George and Ralph of the wonderful "luck" they had had, which
must be taken as an augury of that which was to come.
Ralph divided his time equally between George and the scene of
operations. In the early morning, he would walk out to the well, stay
there an hour, and then return to report progress, continuing his
alternate visits to the well and the invalid, until George knew as much
of what was going on as if he had superintended it.
Now, every oil well is christened with some name, which is supposed to
be suggestive of the manner in which it has been discovered, or to do
honor to some person who may or may not be interested in it; therefore,
it is not to be supposed that a name for this pet of Bob's had not been
discussed even before work had been begun on it.
Each one of the boys had proposed some appellation, Bob's favorite being
"The Invalid," in honor of George, and because, as he said, it had
really had a chance of an existence through Harnett's illness, for he
stoutly contended that had the senior owner been well, he would have
been so cautious about opening it on credit, that all of them would have
grown gray-headed before they saw it flowing.
Jim and Dick thought that, since Bob had really been the one to open it,
in case oil was struck, it should be called "The Moonlighter," in honor
of the one who had done all the work, when there was no chance that he
could be benefited by its success.
George wanted to call it "The Gurney," and his suggestion gave to Bob
and Ralph just the name the well should bear in case it answered their
expectations in regard to its yield.
"We will call it 'The Harnett,'" said Ralph, more decidedly than he had
yet said anything in regard to the "scheme," and since Bob was in favor
of this, it came to be considered a settled fact that that should be the
name. After that conversation, old Mr. Simpson never spoke of it save as
"The Harnett," and the boys soon learned to follow his example, until
even George gave it that title.
Work went on rapidly, until the drills were boring eight hundred feet
below the surface, and it was hourly expected that bed-rock would be
struck, when George broached to Ralph a matter he had had on his mind
from the hour he first learned that "The Harnett" was being opened.
"Do you remember, Ralph, what we said about giving Mr. Simpson a share
in the land if oil was found there?" he asked, when Ralph came in to
tell him that the rock had not been struck, but that Bob believed it
would be before night.
"Yes, and I still think we ought to do so," replied the junior partner,
quickly. "After he had taken our money, Massie offered to give up the
whole of the mortgage for a deed of the wood-lot, and he refused, for he
considered himself bound to us, even though he knew we only bought it to
help him along."
"And what about Bob?" asked George, meaningly. "What he says about our
hesitating to begin work before we had money of our own to carry it
through, is nearly true, and if oil is struck there we shall have him to
thank for it."
"I know that, and I have been meaning to talk with you about it. Why
can't we give Mr. Simpson and him an equal share with us? I think they
really ought to have it."
"So do I, and my proposition is that we give to each of them an
undivided fourth of the entire property, they to share equally with us
in everything."
"And I agree to that fully," replied Ralph, quickly. "I have wanted to
propose something of the kind, but was afraid you wouldn't agree to it,
because of Bob's being a moonlighter, and having given you so much
trouble."
"But if 'The Harnett' is a success, we must attribute it all to the
trouble Bob made for us. If the team hadn't been stolen we should not
have been in Bradford to meet Mr. Simpson, and if it hadn't been for the
theft we never should have imagined that there was any oil on the
property. Besides, if Bob owns an interest here, you'll find that he
won't do any more moonlighting."
"Well," said Ralph, anxious that their good intentions should be carried
into effect as soon as possible, "when shall we give them their share?
Now, or after we find whether there is oil in 'The Harnett?'"
"Now. You drive right into town, have the deeds made out, and bring them
here so that I can sign them with you."
It was early in the day, and Ralph would have plenty of time to make all
the arrangements and yet be back before the drilling ceased, unless, of
course, the rock was struck almost immediately. Therefore he started at
once, refusing to answer any of the questions which Mr. Simpson and Bob
put to him as to what had called him in town so suddenly.
Of course neither of those whom he had left in an aggravated suspense
could have any idea of his errand, and his sudden reticence after he had
been in the habit of telling them all he was going to do, mystified them
considerably, Bob in particular being greatly exercised over it.
"I hope Gurney hasn't got on his ear about anything," he said, to
George, after he had watched Ralph drive away. "He's gone into town as
glum as a judge, and won't say a word."
"What makes you think there is anything the matter?" asked George, with
a smile. "Have you and he been having any trouble?"
"Not that I know of, except that he might have got cross when he was at
the well, and thought I ought to have treated one of the proprietors
with a little more deference. I was helping set the drills when he came
out last, and I'm not sure but that I spoke sharply when I answered his
questions; but I didn't intend to."
"I guess there's nothing the matter with him," said George, rather
enjoying the moonlighter's perplexity, knowing how soon it would be
ended. "You probably were a trifle cross, when he was there, and, being
guilty, fancied that he spoke or acted differently from usual."
"I didn't fancy it, for he was queer. I asked him where he was going,
and so did Mr. Simpson; but he wouldn't answer either of us."
"I'll find out what the trouble is when he comes back, and let you
know," replied George.
And with this answer, Bob went back to his work, thinking it very
singular that Ralph, who had always been so good-natured, should have
suddenly become so crusty.
Twice during the remainder of the forenoon, Bob came to the house with
some trifling excuse for so doing, but really to learn if Ralph had
returned; and while he was there the last time, talking with George
about the probabilities of striking sand or gravel rock, the junior
partner returned.
He had with him some official-looking documents, and, as he entered the
house, he said to Bob, speaking quite sharply without any intention of
so doing, and yet resolving all the moonlighter's suspicions into
certainties:
"I want some witnesses to George's signature. Will you bring Mr.
Simpson, Jim and Dick here?"
Bob arose silently to comply with the request, looked at Ralph
wonderingly and reproachfully an instant, and then left the room.
While he was absent, George told his friend of the moonlighter's
trouble, and the two were making merry over it, when he returned with
the witnesses Ralph had asked for.
The papers were handed to George, who signed both of them, and then
asked Jim and Dick to sign their names as witnesses to his signature.
Ralph had already signed them while in town.
Then, purposely taking considerable time about it, Ralph examined the
documents as if to make sure that all was correct, and said:
"Mr. Simpson, after George and I learned there was a chance that oil
would be found on your wood-lot, we agreed that you should share equally
with us in whatever might come of it. For that purpose I went into town,
and have had a deed drawn up, giving you an equal share with us."
"But I don't want none of it," said the old man, in a trembling voice,
while there was a suspicious moisture in his eyes. "I sold the land to
you as I'd a' sold it to anybody else, and whatever's there you own."
"But the deed is made out now, and there is no use for you to protest
against it," said George; and, without giving the old man time to reply,
he added, as he turned to Ralph: "Now I understand that there has been
some trouble between you and Bob, or he fancies there has."
Bob motioned to George to be silent; but it was too late, and Ralph
said:
"The only trouble is that I chose to go away this morning without
telling him where I was going. Then I owned one-half of the wood-lot,
with all there is or may be on it, and since it was the last time I
should have the right to do anything regarding it without his knowledge,
I refused to tell him where I was going. But now that he owns an equal
share with you, Mr. Simpson and me, he will have a perfect right to
question me."
Bob looked up in blank amazement, but made no attempt to speak, and
after waiting several moments, during which no one save the two original
partners seemed to understand the situation, Ralph said, as he handed
Bob one of the documents:
"Believing that but for you 'The Harnett' would not have been opened, at
least for some time, we have thought it best to divide the property into
fourths, one of which belongs to you."
Perhaps for the first time in his life, Bob was unable to make any
reply, and he walked quickly out of the room to the wood-pile, where he
sat for some time as if trying to make himself believe that what Ralph
had said was true.