FURTHER OPPOSITION
The dam was built, the flood gate in place, the pipe valve set for
further extension of the line down the little valley; and as the pipe
had all come cut and threaded, Bill and George were working with
wrenches and white lead to get the sections tightly jointed against the
pressure that would result. Gus, the carpenter, was laying out the
framing of heavy timbers reinforced with long bolts and set in cement on
which the Pelton wheel was to be mounted.
Several days were thus spent; the water was pouring over the spillway of
the dam and it was with satisfaction that the boys found, after an
inspection one quitting hour, that the wall, five feet high, was not
leaking a drop.
That night Gus came over to Bill's home and the two went over the plans
until late; then Gus chatted awhile on the steps, Bill standing in the
doorway. Suddenly, from over toward the northeast, in the direction of
the upper tract of the Hooper estate, there was a flash in the sky and a
dull reverberation like a very distant or muffled blast. Bill was
talking and hardly noticed it, but Gus had been looking in that
direction and, calling Bill's attention, wondered as to the cause of the
odd occurrence.
In the morning, as the boys descended the hill, George, who was always
on hand half an hour ahead of time, came up to meet them and was plainly
excited.
"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 because
o' dis givin' way?"
"By cracky, Bill!" was Gus' comment as they stood looking at the break
which seemed to involve a yard square of the base and cracks, as though
from 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 evidently
had more talent for construction than for determining destruction.
"There's something behind this that I don't like and I'm going to find
out about it," said Gus, his usually quiet demeanor entirely gone. "You
ought to be able," he continued, "to put two and four together. How
about that warning Grace gave you? And how did she know anything out of
which 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'll
know why and all the how and the what of it, too." Gus was never
boastful; now he was merely determined.
The boys opened the flood gate and after the water no longer flowed
through 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 started
to say something about the structure's being too weak; Thad laughed, and
Grace, 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 water
pressure. Mr. Hooper; you'll notice that the stones there are forced in
against the water; not out with it. And the cracks--they're further
evidence. We heard the explosion about eleven o'clock; saw the light of
the 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 it
on 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 attempting
to ignore this scrutiny and then trying to match it, at last grew
restless and turned away. Mr. Hooper also had his eyes on Thad; the old
gentleman looked much troubled. He raised his voice loud enough for Thad
to 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 nearly
through with him and we've been wondering what to put him at, for we'd
be 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 but
looking as though there were a death in his family, started away toward
home.