"You can't take them much farther--the country's too rough--and we could sell them to one of the farmers near the settlements." Blake was glad to come to terms.
"We've been out two months on a general prospecting trip," the man informed them.

"It's the toughest country to get through I ever struck." His worn and ragged appearance bore this out; and Benson looked somewhat dismayed.
"Are there minerals up yonder ?" Harding asked.

"We're not in that line; it's a forest product we're looking for." "We found indications of gold, copper, and one or two other metals, besides petroleum, but we didn't see anything that looked worth taking up.

Considering the cost of transport, you want to strike it pretty rich before what you find will pay as a business proposition." "So I should imagine.

Petroleum's a cheap product to handle when you're a long way from a market, isn't it ?" "Give us plenty of it and we'll make a market.