They got interested in the oil
idea, and they began to study the country and drill for oil too. And
that made these other chaps mad. This was government land, of course,
but they didn't want the government to get interested in developing oil
wells. Government oil would be too cheap. So they got some Mexicans
to start a fight with these Survey lads. But the Survey boys turned
out to be well armed and good fighters and, by Jove, they drove the
whole bunch of oil prospectors out of here. Everybody got excited, and
then it turned out there was no oil here anyhow. That was Fowler's
bunch, by the way, that got run out. Nobody ever thought he'd be
Secretary of State!"
"But Fowler is not an Arizona man!" exclaimed Enoch.
"No," said Curly, "but he came out here for his health for a few years
when he was just out of college. He and my oldest brother were law
pardners in Phoenix. I always thought he was crooked. All lawyers
are."
Enoch smiled to himself.
"Fowler sent his prospectors into Mexico after that," Mack went on
reminiscently. "Curly and I were in charge of the silver mine near Rio
Chacita where they struck some gushers. They were one tough crowd. We
all slept in tents those days, and I remember none of us dared to light
a lamp or candle because if one of those fellows saw it, they'd take a
pot shot at it.
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