“Well it’s the Lawson gang, I’m pretty sure,” said Sam. “Worse luck!”
“What is the Lawson gang?” asked Rick.
“A crowd of men, led by a man named Deck Lawson,” answered Uncle Tod. “They make a speciality of jumping claims and stealing mines, and I suppose they must have heard that we had a good thing here as long as we could have Lost River working for us.”
“Then they went to work and stole a river instead of taking a mine,” said Sam.
“They might just as well have taken the mine as to cut off our water,” observed Uncle Tod. “The mine can’t be worked to advantage without water, and we haven’t been able to locate any other prospect around here that’s anywhere near as good.”
“No, and we never will,” declared Sam, with a return of his former gloom, that had vanished for a time on the receipt of the good news.
“But you say Lost River can be turned back, boys?” asked Uncle Tod.
“Yes,” answered Rick, and he and Chot proceeded to go more into details over the plan of the dam and the water gates. Rick made a drawing of it and showed his first sketch. When they had finished Uncle Tod said:
“Sam, we’ve got to turn that river! We just naturally have to!”
“Sure thing!” assented Mr. Rockford.