Jack Winters' Campmates Part 18

In the end he managed to secure all he required, and just as Toby had said they turned out to be splendid pictures.

When morning came Jack started off along the logging road, bound for the thoroughfare which led to Chester, many miles away. He found the farmer ready to make twenty dollars for a day's run to Chester, and reached town inside of two hours after leaving camp. His chums were pleased to see him show up before four o'clock that afternoon and his radiant face told that everything had gone well with him.

"Miss Priscilla was delighted with my report, and the pictures," he went on to tell the others, as they came crowding around him. "She promised not to do anything until we came back to town, for she didn't want to spoil our vacation outing, she said, and if her vicious nephew once learned that his big scheme for a fortune had fallen through on account of our work up here, he might feel disposed to do us some bodily injury.

But she says she'll keep him on the anxious seat yet awhile. She is quite angry at him for this nasty trick of his. If he had come to her honestly and told her of his discovery, she says she would have gladly given him a good interest in the property, and allowed him to have charge of the opening of the new oil district; but since he tried to cheat her out of the whole business she will turn him down flat."

"Just what he deserves, for a fact!" ventured Toby. "He's a bad egg, according to my notion; and I guess his aunt knows it pretty well, too.

I warrant you she's had some unpleasant experiences with Mr. Maurice before this. But I'm glad we're all on deck again. Now tomorrow we'll start in to enjoy ourselves after our own fas.h.i.+on. Playing the spy may be very exciting work, but say, it isn't just what appeals to me as the finest thing going. You feel a bit cheap looking in on folks, just as if you were peeping through a keyhole. Steve, are you with me for a turn at the black ba.s.s in the morning?"

"I'm feeling fish hungry, if that answers your question, Toby," replied the other: "and I'm laying out to go across country with you tomorrow to see what the Paradise River looks like away up here."

It can be seen from this that the three boys had now cast all anxieties to the wind, and meant to have a jolly time of it during the remainder of their stay up among the Pontico Hills. It was a great relief to do away with suspicion and spying, which really had no part in such a genuine woods outing.

They had plenty of little adventures during the remainder of their camping experience, but nothing of great moment happened; and in due time old Moses drew the party all the way back home again, browned from their days in the sun and air, and with a renewed appet.i.te for the home cooking. Camp fare is all very fine for a spell, but oh! how delightful do those doughnuts, cookies, apple pies and all similar dainties taste to growing, healthy boys, after two weeks spent in the woods!

Maurice Dangerfield found himself balked in his designs, and was glad to accept the really generous amount of money which his aunt offered him, at the same time being told that she never wished to see him again after his duplicity. She did this because she felt under certain obligations to the man for having been the first to discover the presence of oil on her vast holdings of property.

Before many weeks had gone by there were several wells being put down, and the Pontico Hills region began to have a very oily smell, that sometimes could be detected away down in Chester when the breeze was favorable. And Miss Priscilla urged Jack and his chums to accept a generous present from her, with more to follow as time developed the value of the new discovery, which their timely a.s.sistance had saved from falling into the hands of the unscrupulous Mr. Maurice.

During the balance of the summer vacation Jack and Toby and Steve enjoyed many little outings that afforded them considerable profit in the way of information, as well as pleasure. Like most of the other boys of Chester, however, they were head and ears interested in the progress of the new building that was being erected, and which when completed would be used as a gymnasium, where they could have the time of their lives amidst such appurtenances as go to make up a first-cla.s.s physical culture department.

With the first breath of Autumn, and the taking up of school duties came the long antic.i.p.ated season of outdoor Fall sports. The sound of the "punk" of the football kicked hither and thither over the green sward told what was in the wind. And the t.i.tle of our next story will explain how those boys of Chester were eager to win more victories for their home town. You will find it all set down in the pages of "Jack Winters'

Gridiron Chums; or When the Halfback Saved the Day."

THE END

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1. Afloat on the Flood Leslie 2. At Whispering Pine Lodge Leslie 3. Chums of the Campfire Leslie 4. In School and Out Optic 5. Jack Winter's Baseball Team Overton 6. Jack Winter's Campmates Overton 7. Jack Winter's Gridiron Chums Overton 8. Jack Winter's Iceboat Wonder Overton 9. Little by Little Optic 10. Motor Boat Boys' Mississippi Cruise Arundel 11. Now or Never Optic 12. Phil Bradley's Mountain Boys Boone 13. Phil Bradley's Winning Way Boone 14. Radio Boys' Cronies Whipple 15. Radio Boys Loyalty Whipple 16. Rivals of the Trail Leslie 17. Trip Around the Word in a Flying Machine Verne 18. Two years Before the Mast Dana