"They have got through to the rock," cried George, his pale face flushing with excitement.
And in a moment the carriage was surrounded by partners and workmen, as each one tried to tell the good news that the drills had struck the rock at a depth of eight hundred and forty feet.
"What have you found?" asked George, as soon as he could make himself heard.
"Sandstone," replied Bob, "and we shall be obliged to try glycerine."
"The moonlighters will open the moonlighter's well!" cried Dick, as if an immense amount of sport was to be had from such an operation.
"Indeed the moonlighters shall have nothing to do with it," replied Bob, with no small show of dignity, and to the great surprise of all. "There'll be no sneaking around to shoot this well, I can promise you that, for we'll have her opened in the daylight, squarely, or not at all."
Jim and Dick could hardly believe that which they heard. That their old partner, one of the most successful moonlighters in the oil regions, should object to having a well, in which he had a quarter interest, opened as he had opened wells for others, was something too incredible to be true. There must have been some mistake about it, they thought, and they would shoot the well by moonlight as soon as Bob should consider the matter more fully.
But all this time George was still in the carriage, and as soon as the boys realized this, they began to make arrangements for helping him out, content to wait to tell the good news more fully after he should be in his room once more.