Around Columbina the walking was anything but good. But presently they found themselves on a country road which had not been cut up by a steady stream of wagons and automobiles, and here they found going better. They had covered about two miles when they came to a bend in the road, and there Andy called a halt. "I've got something in my shoe. Wait till I take it off," he said, and sat down on a rock. They were all resting when they saw an automobile truck rumble past them. There were three men on the front seat, and the lads were very much surprised to see that two of them were Jake Tate and the man called Jackson. CHAPTER XXII AMONG THE OIL WELLS "Did you see those fellows?" exclaimed Randy, after the automobile truck had rumbled out of sight. "I did," answered Jack. "They were Tate and Jackson." "Can they be going up to the Lorimer Spell claim?" exclaimed Fred. "It's possible." "I don't think they saw us," put in Andy, lacing up his shoe again. "No, they didn't seem to look this way at all. And, anyhow, they were too busy talking to notice," answered Jack. The four Rovers continued on their way, following the automobile. Occasionally they met other automobiles, as well as wagons, some piled high with oil-drilling machinery. Then they came to a place where a pipe line was being constructed. "We are certainly in the oil fields," announced Jack. "See all the derricks in the distance?" Being-good walkers, it did not take the boys long to reach the Spell tract of land. To make sure that they had found the right spot, they asked an old teamster who was at the roadside mending a harness. "Yes, that's Lorimer Spell's ground--or at least it was his ground before he was killed. There is the old shack just as he left it." The boys walked over to the house, which stood among some low bushes. It was a dilapidated structure, and had evidently been out of repair for several years. Most of the windows were gone, and the front door stood wide open. As was to be expected, the four rooms the house contained were empty save for some straw on the floor and a pile of half-burnt sticks on the open hearth. "Some thieves must have come along and taken whatever there was of furniture," observed Jack. "Yes, and somebody has been using it for a place to bunk in," added Fred. "But I don't believe they have been here within the last few days," he added, with a look at the ashes on the hearth. From the house the boys proceeded to look around the farm, or ranch, if such it might be called. It was irregular in shape, one corner running over a hill and down towards a small brook. Here, to their surprise, they saw a pile of oil-drilling machinery, and a number of posts had been set up. On one of the posts was a placard reading: _The Carson Davenport Claim. Keep off._ "What do you know about this!" cried Jack, his eyes blazing. "Let's knock the sign down," suggested Fred quickly.