d Ralph and Bob
entered the invalid's room, as they had every morning since he had been
able to recognize them.

In reply to their usual inquiry as to how he felt, George said,
gloomily:

"I should feel all right if I only had a little more strength. It is
hard to know that I shall have to lie here a long time, simply waiting
to get strong, and all the business I had succeeded in getting, done by
some one else. But perhaps I couldn't have kept what I had after that
scrape about the glycerine."

"All that is settled, George," said Ralph. "I persuaded them to call
your case the next day after you were hurt, when Bob's case came on. He
and Jim and I told the story exactly as it was, and you were acquitted,
while he was fined ten dollars. I should have told you before, but that
we were afraid of exciting you."

"Such excitement would do me good rather than harm," said George, with a
smile, "for I have worried about that every day I have been here."

"Then I will give you more of the same sort, only better," replied
Ralph, with a meaning look at Bob. "The day after you were hurt, we
hunted for the oil, and Bob found it just----"

"I should say we did find it," interrupted Bob, excitedly, and despite
Ralph's warning looks. "It is the richest spot you ever saw, and there's
a thousand-barrel well there, if there's a drop."

George opened his eyes wide with astonishment, and then closing them
wearily, he said:

"I'm willing to take your word for it that you found signs of oil; but I
would rather hear what some one else thought as to the size of the
well."

"You shall hear," cried Bob, growing more excited, and forgetting all
caution. "I brought Dodd and Mapleson out here, and after they had
looked at it, they said they were willing to advance everything for the
opening. Then we commenced work----"

"You commenced work?" cried George, attempting to raise himself in the
bed, and falling back from sheer exhaustion.

"Yes, George," said Ralph, as he motioned Bob to remain quiet. "Every
one said we'd be sure to strike oil, and Bob has started it for you. He
had nothing to do for a while, and he wanted to surprise you. I sent for
father, and after he had talked with some of the men, he told us we
might draw on him for what money we needed."

George lay perfectly still and looked at Ralph as if he could not
believe that which he heard, and Bob, forgetting himself again, cried
out:

"The derrick's already built, the en