But there aren't any mud banks in that part of the
Atlantic, so I can't be stuck in one," answered Tom.
For some time Tom Swift and Mary talked of mutual friends and
happenings in which they were both interested. Mr. and Mrs.
Nestor stepped into the room for a minute, to wish the young
inventor good luck on his voyage, and when they had gone out,
promising to see Tom before he left for the night, the latter
remarked to Mary:
"Did your uncle ever find the oil-well papers and get his
affairs straightened out?"
"No," was the answer, "he never did. And we feel very sorry for
him. Just think, he had a fortune in his grasp, and now it is
slipping away."
"Just what happened?" asked Tom, hoping there might be some way
in which he could aid Mary's uncle. Of course, Tom wanted to help
Mary, and this was one of the ways.
"Well, I don't exactly understand it all," she replied. "Father
says I'll never have a head for business. But as nearly as I can
tell, my uncle, Barton Keith, went into partnership with a man to
prospect for oil in Texas.
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