Then, of course, Mr. Gurney was shown the wonderful well, and listened, long and attentively to Bob's arguments as to why another well should be sunk near the house. To the surprise of all the partners except, perhaps, Bob, Mr. Gurney advised that that scheme be carried out, saying that Bob's argument seemed to be supported by such facts in the case as were apparent even to those unfamiliar with the business. Bob was highly delighted at having convinced Ralph's father of the feasibility of this scheme, and Mr. Simpson was so impressed by the celebrated lawyer's advice that he insisted on deeding, that very night, the strip of land, on which it was proposed to sink the well, to the firm of Harnett, Gurney, Hubbard & Simpson. Mr. Gurney insisted that the other three partners should pay to Mr. Simpson their proportion of the valuation of the land, which would have been several thousand dollars; but the old man would listen to no such proposition. He had been presented with a quarter of the wood-lot when he had no claim upon it, and he urged his right to make the firm a present of as much land as he owned. There was no necessity of watching the farm that night, although Bob thought it was careless to leave it unguarded; but no harm came to it, nor did they even hear from the worthy Mr. Massie. Bob lost no time in setting about the work of opening the new well, and his first duty next morning was to set a portion of the men at work making ready for the erection of the derrick. Fortunately for the boys, the court was already in session, and Massie's claim came up for an early hearing. It seemed as if the old money-lender must have entirely forgotten that there had been a witness to the payment of the money, for he came into court apparently confident that he should be able to call "The Harnett" his own; but as soon as he saw Thompson, all his confidence vanished, and he sneaked out of court even before the case was fairly opened. Of course, there could be but one decision, under the circumstances, and in less than an hour from the time the case was called, a verdict had been given in favor of Mr. Simpson, who was advised by the judge to demand of Massie a written release, and there was no longer any question as to the ownership of "The Harnett." So far as Ralph was concerned, the case had been decided none too soon. It was time for him to return to college, and on the next day, in company with his father, he bade his partners adieu for a year, as he returned to his studies. Ralph Gurney's vacation was at an end, as this story should be, since it promised simply to tell of that time. * * * * * With the story brought to a close, the work of the author should be ended, unless, as in this case, he makes brief mention of what has happened, concerning the principal characters, from that time until the present.