Ralph Gurney's Oil Speculation

he well only as a spectator, was the most nervous one of all that par

doing, and the others aided him whenever it was possible, George alone remain

nches in diameter and quite twelve hundred feet deep, which was nearly filled with the water that had f

rs, and apparently solid enough to resist any pressure that might be brought to bear upon it. Near by were s

ld easily become detached when the pressure was removed, was fastened at one of the uprights of the derrick, while dire

should put in an appearance-the task of filling the shells was begun. The tops of the long tin tubes were removed, and into these

ver was the hammer which would explode the percussion cap when struck. These cartridges were pointed at the head, and since the point of the second

ng the explosive liquid, for the least jar or concussion, as the tin tubes were being let down into th

the work he was doing, proposed to George that they move a short distance further away, lest there

should stand as good a chance of being killed a quarter of a m

from feeling as comfortable as he would

on, and the reel removed from the derrick. "Now in order to honor Harnett

efore he marched boldly up to the well, at the bottom of which was such a dangerous agent ready to do its work. But when he saw the others seeking places of safety from the gases, and possi

uch a powerful effect. But if, when I attempt to get out of the way, my foot should slip, I should hardly be in a c

relessly. "Just find a good place where you can se

ions, seeking a refuge near the corner of a small tool-house t

xplosion," cautioned George, "for the gases which

ee that every one was in a safe position, and then

heavy iron poised over the aperture, and then droppin

me was hardly more than a minute, and then Ralph, who had expected to hear a deafening noise, simply heard a crackling sound, much as if tw

the gases!"

handkerchief, he could see a black vapor, almos

ything save the gases of combustion. He was almost as disappointed as Mr. Hoxie would have been at finding a

ve wanted to see oil after his dangerous work. But Bob simply looked expectant, with his gaze fi

ii. The top was rounded, and the sides of this marvelous column, held together only by some mighty force, shone in the moonlight like a polished surface of marble, while all the time it arose

f the derrick as if it had been of veriest gossamer, dashing the heavy timber

e air seemed filled with this liquid gold that

reat was the volume of gas imprisoned beneath the rock, which was sending

o hundred barrels

rich harvest, insisted that it woul

d by the owner since the destructive agent w

, rather, of the gas that was forcing it to the surface, appeared to be exhausted, and lower and lo

oil-wells flowed incessantly. "Your two-hundred-barr

ve to fifteen minutes, and then remain quiet about the same time, or longer. You see the gas in the reservoir of oil forces it to the surface; the escape of the oil

, for them to be found with their tools near a newly-opened well, would have be

ee the second spout, but being a guest of the moonlighters, he could not offer any o

agreed amount for the work performed, and was just getting the reel int

oward the tool-house, where, in a very few seconds,

convenient places for hiding; and the moonlighters w

e recognized as his, regardless of how he carried it, and dashed of

they were overtaken, but, under the circumstances,

to co