a lantern, and was going to inspect the crack himself; but
Mr. Carter, respecting his courage and coolness, would accompany him.
They went to the crack, examined it carefully with their lanterns, and
then crossed over to the waste-wear; no water was running into it in the
ordinary way, which showed the dam was not full to its utmost capacity.

They returned, and consulted with Mountain.

Ransome put in his word, and once more remembering Little's advice,
begged them to blow up the waste-wear.

Tucker thought that was a stronger measure than the occasion required;
there was no immediate danger; and the sluice-pipes would lower the
water considerably in twenty-four hours.

Farmer Ives put in his word. "I can't learn from any of you that an
enlarging crack in a new embankment is a common thing. I shall go home,
but my boots won't come off this night."

Encouraged by this, Mr. Mountain, the contractor, spoke out.

"Mr. Tucker," said he, "don't deceive yourself; the sluice-pipes are
too slow; if we don't relieve the dam, there'll be a blow-up in half an
hour; mark my words."

"Well," said Mr. Tucker, "no precaution has been neglected in building
this dam: provision has been made even for blowing up the waste-wear;
a hole has been built in the masonry, and there's dry powder and a fuse
kept at the valve-house. I'll blow up the waste-wear, though I think it
needless. I am convinced that crack is above the level of the water in
the reservoir."

This observation struck Ransome, and he asked if it could not be
ascertained by measurement.

"Of course it can," said Tucker, "and I'll measure it as I come back."

He then started for the wear, and Carter accompanied him.

They crossed the embankment, and got to the wear.

Ives went home, and the workmen withdrew to the side, not knowing
exactly what might be the effect of the explosion.

By-and-by Ransome looked up, and observed a thin sheet of water
beginning to stream over the center of the embankment and trickle
down: the quantity was nothing; but it alarmed him. Having no special
knowledge on these matters, he was driven to comparisons; and it flashed
across him that, when he was a boy, and used to make little mud-dams in
April, they would resist the tiny stream until it trickled over them,
and from that moment their fate was sealed. Nature, he had observed,
operates alike in small things and great, and that sheet of water,
though thin as a wafer, alarmed him.

H