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."