With all the excitement and everybody running double 'towers' and trying to beat the other fellow down to the sand, it struck me as queer that a contract driller like Pete would be here in Wichita in conference with Bell and Henry Nelson, when he ought to be out on the lease fishing for a lost bit.

It didn't sound right.

The more I got out of him, the queerer it sounded, for he had all the fishing tools he needed, so I accused him of being a fraud.
I told him I'd bet he had a showing of oil and was trying to borrow money to buy the offset or to get the Nelsons to buy it and carry him for an interest." "Where'd you pick up this lingo ?" Tom inquired.

"You talk like them wild men at the Westland Hotel." Barbara laughed delightedly.

"Didn't I put down all our shallow wells?
If I didn't, I thought I did.