“You’ve made the canal survey to the draw?” the younger man asked.
“Yes. A hogback below Jake’s Fork bars the way.”
“You’re going round it?”
“Can’t. Through it. You’re to begin running the tunnel to-morrow.”
They discussed plans, details, equipment necessary to attack the hogback.
Hollister moved camp next day in a pelting rain and set up his tents on the soggy hillside close to the ridge. For a week the rain kept up almost steadily. The whole country was sloshing with moisture. During a visit to the main camp for a consultation with Merrick, he went down to the dam and observed that a heavy flow of water was pouring into the reservoir. With an ordinary winter’s snowfall in the mountains, Sweetwater would be full to the brim long before the spring freshets had ended.
Day by day the drills bored deeper into the hogback and the tunnel grew longer. By means of a chance rider of the hills, word reached Prowers of it. He and Don Black, who was out on bond signed by Jake, rode over to see what this new development meant.
“What do you fellows think you’re doing?” asked the cattleman in his high, crackling voice.
“Mining,” answered Hollister.
“What for? What’s the idea?”