"Fifty thousand dollars!" exclaimed Jack, when he heard of this. "That certainly is quite a sum of money."
"It costs money to bore for oil in these parts," answered his father.
As he had promised, Mr. Fitch came to Dick Rover on the following Monday with his report concerning the Franklin farm.
"I think you have found something well worth trying, Mr. Rover," said he. "There are indications of oil in half a dozen places, and two of the spots to me look particularly inviting."
Then he went into many details and brought in one of his assistants to verify some of the statements. Dick Rover listened carefully to all that was said, and then leaned back in his chair and looked at the oil expert sharply.
"Then on the strength of this report, Mr. Fitch, you would advise my sinking at least two wells?"
"I certainly would, Mr. Rover. That is, of course, if you can afford to take the gamble. I'm almost certain that the oil is there, but you must remember that even the best of us are sometimes deceived. However, I will say this—I am not a particularly rich man, but if you sink these two wells in the spots that I have picked out and you form a company at, say, one hundred thousand dollars, for that purpose, I am willing to put up five thousand dollars in cash for some of the stock."
"That certainly sounds as if you had faith in it," answered Dick Rover, with a smile. "Are you willing to put that in writing?"
"I am, sir," and Mr. Fitch's face showed that he meant what he said.
"Very well, then, you do so, and I'll start operations to-morrow."