CHAPTER XIV
FURTHER OPPOSITION
The dam was built, the flood gate in place, the pipe valve set forfurther extension of the line down the little valley; and as the pipehad all come cut and threaded, Bill and George were working withwrenches and white lead to get the sections tightly jointed against thepressure that would result. Gus, the carpenter, was laying out theframing of heavy timbers reinforced with long bolts and set in cement onwhich the Pelton wheel was to be mounted.
Several days were thus spent; the water was pouring over the spillway ofthe dam and it was with satisfaction that the boys found, after aninspection one quitting hour, that the wall, five feet high, was notleaking a drop.
That night Gus came over to Bill's home and the two went over the plansuntil late; then Gus chatted awhile on the steps, Bill standing in thedoorway. Suddenly, from over toward the northeast, in the direction ofthe upper tract of the Hooper estate, there was a flash in the sky and adull reverberation like a very distant or muffled blast. Bill wastalking and hardly noticed it, but Gus had been looking in thatdirection and, calling Bill's attention, wondered as to the cause of theodd occurrence.
In the morning, as the boys descended the hill, George, who was alwayson hand half an hour ahead of time, came up to meet them and was plainlyexcited.
"Mist' Bill an' Gus, de dam's done busted a'ready an' de water's jes'a-pourin' through t' beat ol' Noah's flood! Whut you 'low was de becauseo' dis givin' way?"
"By cracky, Bill!" was Gus' comment as they stood looking at the breakwhich seemed to involve a yard square of the base and cracks, as thoughfrom a shock. "You know and I know that the water didn't push this out.How about that flash and bang we heard last night?"
"I can't see how the water could have done it," said Bill, who evidentlyhad more talent for construction than for determining destruction.
"There's something behind this that I don't like and I'm going to findout about it," said Gus, his usually quiet demeanor entirely gone. "Youought to be able," he continued, "to put two and four together. Howabout that warning Grace gave you? And how did she know anything out ofwhich to give it? And why wouldn't she give any names?"
"Well, I have wondered; I thought I saw why," Bill said.
"Of course you see why, old scout. And if you'll leave it to me, you'llknow why and all the how and the what of it, too." Gus was neverboastful; now he was merely determined.
The boys opened the flood gate and after the water no longer flowedthrough the break, they began a closer examination that surprised them.Mr. Hooper, Thad, Grace and Skeets descended the hill.
Bill, after greetings, merely pointed to the break. Mr. Hooper startedto say something about the structure's being too weak; Thad laughed, andGrace, looking daggers at him, turned away and pulled Skeets with her.Gus, gazing at Thad, addressed Mr. Hooper.
"Yes, too weak to stand the force of an explosion. It wasn't the waterpressure. Mr. Hooper; you'll notice that the stones there are forced inagainst the water; not out with it. And the cracks--they're furtherevidence. We heard the explosion about eleven o'clock; saw the light ofthe flash, too."
"Shucks! You reckon that's so? Got any notion who it was that done it?"
"Yes, sir; got a big notion who it was; but we won't say till we get iton him for sure. And then's it's going to be a sorry day for him."
Gus was still gazing straight at Thad and that youth, first attemptingto ignore this scrutiny and then trying to match it, at last grewrestless and turned away. Mr. Hooper also had his eyes on Thad; the oldgentleman looked much troubled. He raised his voice loud enough for Thadto hear as he walked off:
"We'll git a watchman an' put him on the job,--that's what we'll do!They ain't goin' to be any more o' this sort o' thing."
And Bill chimed in: "Good idea. There's George, Mr. Hooper; we're nearlythrough with him and we've been wondering what to put him at, for we'dbe sorry to lose him."
So it was arranged then and there, much to the satisfaction of everyone,especially the old darkey, and Mr. Hooper, saying nothing more butlooking as though there were a death in his family, started away towardhome.