us 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 cluster 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 s