My uncle has been in that business
before, and he was very successful. He supplied the working
knowledge about oil wells, I believe, and the other man put up
the money. My uncle was to have a half share in whatever oil
wells he located, and his partner supplied the cash for putting
down the pipe, or whatever is done."
"I believe putting down a pipe is the proper term," said Tom.
"Well, anyhow," went on Mary, "my uncle spent many weary months
prospecting in Texas. In fact, he made himself ill, being out in
all sorts of weather, looking after the drilling. At last they
struck oil, as I believe they call it. They drilled down until
they brought in what my uncle called a 'gusher,' and there was a
chance of him and his partner getting rich."
"Why didn't he?" asked Tom. "A gusher, I believe, is one of the
best sort of oil wells. Why didn't your uncle clean up a fortune,
to use a slang term?"
"Because he lost the papers showing that he had a right to half
the oil well," answered Mary. "At least my uncle thinks he lost
them, but he was so ill, directly after the well proved a
success, that he says he isn't sure what happened.
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