Page:Betty Gordon in the Land of Oil.djvu/49

Rh last winter for a house, and then didn't build. I always told him the walk was shifty. You're strangers in town, aren't you?"

Bob explained that they^ were only waiting over between trains.

"So you're going to Flame City!" exclaimed their new friend with interest when Bob mentioned their destination. "I hear they've struck it rich in the fields. Buying up everything in sight, they say. We had a well come in last week. Hope you have a place to stay, though; Flame City isn't much more than a store and a post-office."

Betty looked up from rubbing her skirt with her clean handkerchief in an endeavor to remove some of the gravel stains.

"Isn't Flame City larger than Chassada?" she demanded.

"Larger? Why, Chassada is four or five years ahead," explained the Chassada man. "We've got a hotel and three boarding houses, and next month they're fixing to put up a movie theater. Flame City wasn't on the map six months ago. That's why I say I hope you have a place to go—you'll have to rough it, anyway, but accommodations is mighty scarce."

Bob assured him that some one was to meet them, and then asked about a restaurant.

"If you can stand Jake Hill's cooking, turn in