be had in the McMurray settlement,
and this was to be installed before cold weather arrived.

The other cabin was renovated and thoroughly cleaned. A provision
storehouse was added in the rear, and the clay fireplace was enlarged and
extended into the room. This work under way, Norman and Roy, assisted by
Paul, undertook to construct a rough but adequate aerodrome. The open
space in front of the cabin was not sufficient for a landing and a large
part of the clearing in the rear of the cabin was leveled for the airship
shed. To decrease the size of the structure, it was also made in "T"
shape, the extension for the tail of the machine reaching back toward the
cabin, for the new shelter faced away from the cabin so that there might
be no obstacle in starting and landing the machine.

In spite of its simple character, the boys made elaborate sketches for
this shed and used in the main small uniform poplar trees easily carried
on their shoulders. The entire frame of the building was made of this
timber. The front of it was to be made of the colonel's three enormous
tarpaulins. The sides and top being of heavy hemlock bark, this feature
of the work required many days and it was often tiresome.

In the three weeks that this work went on, Colonel Howell appeared to be
in no hurry to resume his prospecting. The boys learned that the old
Kansas oil men had not been wholly idle in this respect and that they had
located several good signs, all of which Colonel Howell took occasion to
examine.

The boys also learned that the best prospects were not those found where
the derrick had been erected. From their experience, the men who had been
left in camp strongly urged another location in a dip of land farther
inland.

"It's as good a surface sign as I ever saw," Colonel Howell explained to
the young men. "It's a rock cut, but there's enough tar floating loose to
show that there's oil mighty close. But there's no use getting excited
about it and tapping a gusher. We'd only have to cap it and wait for the
tank cars. Everything around here is prospective, of course. All we can
do is to cover the field and establish our claim. And I guess that's a
good winter's job."

"Ain't you goin' to work this derrick?" asked Paul, indicating the one
erected near the camp.

"Looks like there might be gas around here," was the colonel's laughing
response. "We'll sink a shaft here an' maybe we can find a flow of
natural gas. That'd help some w