“Of course,” said Uncle Dick thoughtfully; “but you forget the shape of the wall, Jack. It is like an elongated pyramid: broad at the base and coming up nearly to a point.”
“No,” said Uncle Jack, “I’ve not forgotten all that. Of course it is all the stronger for it, the wider the base is made. But I’m not satisfied, and if I had made this dam I should have made this wall twice as thick or three times as thick; and I don’t know that I should have felt satisfied with its stability then.”
“Well done, old conscientious!” cried Uncle Bob, laughing. “Let’s get on.”
“Stop a moment,” I cried. “Uncle Dick said he would show us our engine.”
“Well, there it is,” said Uncle Dick, pointing to the dammed-up lake. “Isn’t it powerful enough for you. This reservoir was made by a water company to supply all our little dams, and keep all our mills going. It gathers the water off the moorlands, saves it up, and lets us have it in a regular supply. What would be the consequences of a burst, Jack?” he said, turning to his brother.
“Don’t talk about it man,” said Uncle Jack frowning. “Why, this body of water broken loose would sweep down that valley and scour everything away with it—houses, mills, rocks, all would go like corks.”
“Why, it would carry away our works, then,” I cried. “The place is right down by the water side.”
“I hope not,” said Uncle Jack. “No I should say the force would be exhausted before it got so far as that, eight or nine miles away.”
“Well, it does look dangerous,” said Uncle Bob. “The weight must be tremendous. How would it go if it did burst?”
“I say, uncle, I’m only a coward, please. Hadn’t we better go off here?”