was humanly possible to make it.

Day after day the work progressed, but despite their best endeavors two
weeks and a half had passed before the gates were again lowered to test
the new dam's power to resist a full head of water. Several days more
were required to fill the dam until the surplus water toppled over the
"dashboard."

For another twenty-four hours the dam was watched for indications of
weakness, but none developed. Now that the big work was completed Tom
and Hippy journeyed to the wrecked dam of the timber-pirates. They
examined what was left of it with great care. Finishing their
investigation, the two men looked at each other with eyes full of
meaning.

"Well, what do you think of it?" questioned Hippy.

"I think, Hip, that it was something more than structural weakness that
caused this dam to go out," answered Tom.

"What do you think did it--I mean how was it done?" wondered Lieutenant
Wingate.

"Dynamite!" The word came out with explosive force. "The pirates don't
like our presence here, so thought they would put us out of business.
They didn't know us, did they, Hippy?"

"No. I wonder what they will think now--or do?"

"Nothing in the way of damaging our property, for we shall have our
works watched after this. They might blow the upper dam, of course, but
there are no logs being held there and the water would simply flow over
our construction without doing damage. We must tell Willy what we
suspect and assign him to guard duty. An Indian can sleep and yet be on
watch."

"Like Hindenburg, who always sleeps with one ear awake," suggested
Hippy.

"But never hears anything with it," laughed Tom. "We'll see."

Later in the day when Tom spoke confidentially with the Indian about
what the Overlanders suspected, Willy evinced no surprise. He nodded in
agreement with Tom that the new dam must be guarded.

It was. Willy slept near it in a lean-to down near the river. For
several nights nothing occurred to indicate that there was anyone within
miles of the camp. By day Willy hunted, often not coming in until after
dark. It was on a Saturday night, however, that Willy failed to reach
camp until nearly midnight. On his back he bore the carcass of a young
deer that he had shot and dressed miles from the Overland headquarters
on the bank of the Little Big Branch. He was nearly in when suddenly he
raised his body to an erect position, listened for a few seconds, then
dropped his burden and sprinted