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CHAPTER XXIII CARRYING THE GOOD NEWS
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 “Chot, would you look at that!” exclaimed Rick.
 
“I am looking at it!” Chot fairly shouted. No longer was it necessary to subdue1 their voices. They were far enough away from the strange camp so that no sound they made could be heard in it. “What do you reckon that is, Rick?”
 
Without answering, Rick and Ruddy, followed by Chot, drew nearer to some form of rude, rough-and-ready engineering work built across a place where the stream took a sharp turn, curving down through a channel that nature, or perhaps Lost River itself, had carved out through the long centuries.
 
And right at the curve was a sort of dam, fitted with water gates and levers, like those of a mill, or canal lock, so the water, at will, could be diverted into a new channel.
 
And that Lost River was now flowing into a new channel could not be doubted. Even in the moonlight, veiled as it was now and then by clouds, could be seen where the stream had once flowed. There was the rocky bed—now dry—but evidence enough that had the stream been left to itself it would have come through the various tunnels and so reach Uncle Tod’s camp.
 
But the dam had changed its course—had switched the stream so that it ran into the flume of the strange men just at the point where it should have gone into the long tunnel through which the boys had made their perilous2 way.
 
“This is how they turned the trick, Chot,” said Rick, as they walked out on a plank3 bridge over the dam, and saw where the wooden gates had been put in. The gates, of which there were two sets, slid up and down in grooves4 and could be raised or lowered by long wooden levers.
 
“This is how it works!” exclaimed Chot. “Look, Rick, when they want water down in their camp they open the gates on the right and close them on the left.”
 
“You said it!” cried Rick. “And when they want to let water run down to Uncle Tod’s camp they would have to close the right gates and open the left ones.”
 
“But they don’t want to let water run down to Uncle Tod’s camp—that’s just the trouble,” said Chot.
 
“It’s part of the trouble, but not all,” went on Rick. “Why did they put gates in here if, sometime, they didn’t want to let water run down the underground tunnels as it used to?”
 
“I don’t quite get that,” said Chot.
 
“Well, here is my notion,” proceeded Rick. “Here, you, Ruddy! Come back!” ordered his master, for the setter, sensing that he was not to be held in such restraint as heretofore, was nosing about more freely.
 
The dog obediently came to his master and Rick went on with what he started to say.
 
“It’s like this, I think,” he resumed. “These miners, whoever they are, struck some such pay streak5 as Uncle Tod did, but they needed water to work it. They couldn’t get water to their place with Lost River running where it was, and so they changed the course of the stream. They built this dam right where it curves and that was easy. But they must have had an idea that, sometime, they’d want to turn the water back again into the tunnel, so they made these gates. Then all they have to do is to open one set and close the other and the trick is done.”
 
“But why would they want to turn the water back into the tunnel?” asked Chot.
 
“There’s two reasons,” answered Rick. “One is Uncle Tod might make ’em—he could bring a lawsuit6 or something and make ’em put the river back where it was before.”
 
“That’s a good reason, but I guess from the way Sam Rockford talked there isn’t much law out here,” said Chot.
 
“Well, there’s some law, or it can be brought here,” declared Rick. “But the main reason, I think, why the men made gates to turn the river back into the tunnel, is so they could use the water themselves. Use it at Uncle Tod’s camp, I mean.”
 
“How could they use it there?” Chot wanted to know. “Your Uncle wouldn’t let ’em!”
 
“Not while he was there,” agreed Rick. “But—s’posin’ he left—gave up—then anybody that wanted to could jump the claim.”
 
“That’s so,” burst out Chot. “You mean your uncle might give up if he thought Lost River wouldn’t come back?”
 
“That’s it,” answered Rick. “And maybe these men figure on that.”
 
Chot paused for a moment to let this “sink in,” as he afterward7 said, and then exclaimed:
 
“You mean they moved the river just to make his mine go dry, and they want to drive him out and jump the claim themselves—is that it, Rick?”
 
“That’s my idea,” answered Ruddy’s master. “They built this dam and put in the water gates. Then they shut off Uncle Tod’s water supply and his mine went dry, while theirs could be worked. I reckon they figured that he’d give up—not knowing what happened to Lost River. Then, when he quit they planned to come in and take his claim.”
 
“But that’s mean! That isn’t fair!” cried Chot.
 
“Sure it’s mean!” assented8 Rick. “But I don’t reckon those men care. There isn’t much law out here.”
 
“We’ll show ’em!” muttered Chot. “We’ll show ’em there is! What are you going to do, Rick?”
 
“Well, I guess we’d better—”
 
Before he finished his answer Chot burst out with:
 
“Let’s turn the water ourselves! Let’s close their gates and open the others and send Lost River back where it belongs!”
 
Impulsively9 Chot started toward one of the levers.
 
“Don’t!” cried Rick.
 
“Why not?”
 
“Better let Uncle Tod and his partner attend to this,” suggested Rick. “They’ll know what to do. We’ll hike back and tell them what we’ve found.”
 
“Oh, shucks!” exclaimed Chot. “Let’s do it ourselves! We can easy lift the gates and close the others!”
 
Rick was half tempted10. It would be a fine thing to boast of—to have discovered the secret of Lost River and to have turned the water back where it belonged. But there were other things to think of. True there was little law out in this part of the west, but there might be enough to uphold the men in what they had done to divert the stream. It was better to let older heads settle this point.
 
“No, well go tell Uncle Tod,” decided11 Rick.
 
Chot whistled dismally12.
 
“It’s a long hike back there,” he said.
 
“We won’t start until morning,” decided Rick. “We’ll camp here until then. We have our blankets.”
 
Even though they were Boy Scouts13, and accustomed to sleeping in the open with not much more than a blanket, it cannot be said that the boys passed a very comfortable night. It was unusually cold in the mountains. But Ruddy snuggled down with them and they managed to get a little sleep.
 
They made a slim breakfast, gave one look at the construction of the dam and water gates so that they could report the plan of it to Uncle Tod, and then started back, going a roundabout way to escape the camp.
 
This necessitated14 proceeding15 “overland” so to speak, instead of through the tunnel, and was longer, but they had the advantage of daylight and really made better time.
 
“Well, where in the name of the great horned toad16 have you boys been?” greeted Uncle Tod as they entered the camp and found two rather worried men to welcome them.
 
“Oh, we’ve been prospecting17,” said Rick.
 
“Find anything?” asked Sam, dismally.
 
“Yes—something,” answered Rick, trying not to have his voice too eager.
 
“Pay dirt?” inquired Uncle Tod eagerly.
 
“Well it’s water instead of dirt,” answered Rick. “We went prospecting for Lost River and—”
 
“We found it!” burst out Chot, unable to keep still longer.
 
“You found what?” fairly shouted Uncle Tod.
 
“Lost River,” said Rick, modestly enough. “We found where it has been turned off and we can show you how to turn it back again.”
 
“Whoop!” yelled Sam, joyful18 for once in his life. “That’s the best news I’ve heard since the doctor said I had the measles19 and couldn’t go to school! Oh, whoopee!”

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1 subdue ltTwO     
vt.制服,使顺从,征服;抑制,克制
参考例句:
  • She tried to subdue her anger.她尽力压制自己的怒火。
  • He forced himself to subdue and overcome his fears.他强迫自己克制并战胜恐惧心理。
2 perilous E3xz6     
adj.危险的,冒险的
参考例句:
  • The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
  • We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机,我们如今已安然无恙。
3 plank p2CzA     
n.板条,木板,政策要点,政纲条目
参考例句:
  • The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。
  • They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。
4 grooves e2ee808c594bc87414652e71d74585a3     
n.沟( groove的名词复数 );槽;老一套;(某种)音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 );槽;老一套;(某种)音乐节奏
参考例句:
  • Wheels leave grooves in a dirt road. 车轮在泥路上留下了凹痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Sliding doors move in grooves. 滑动门在槽沟中移动。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
5 streak UGgzL     
n.条理,斑纹,倾向,少许,痕迹;v.加条纹,变成条纹,奔驰,快速移动
参考例句:
  • The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
  • Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹?
6 lawsuit A14xy     
n.诉讼,控诉
参考例句:
  • They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
  • He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。
7 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来;以后
参考例句:
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏,然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来,这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
8 assented 4cee1313bb256a1f69bcc83867e78727     
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
  • "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对,”汤姆表示赞同地说,“他们不杀女人——真伟大!
9 impulsively 0596bdde6dedf8c46a693e7e1da5984c     
adv.冲动地
参考例句:
  • She leant forward and kissed him impulsively. 她倾身向前,感情冲动地吻了他。
  • Every good, true, vigorous feeling I had gathered came impulsively round him. 我的一切良好、真诚而又强烈的感情都紧紧围绕着他涌现出来。
10 tempted b0182e969d369add1b9ce2353d3c6ad6     
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词)
参考例句:
  • I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚,但还是没开口。
  • I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
11 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
12 dismally cdb50911b7042de000f0b2207b1b04d0     
adv.阴暗地,沉闷地
参考例句:
  • Fei Little Beard assented dismally. 费小胡子哭丧着脸回答。 来自子夜部分
  • He began to howl dismally. 它就凄凉地吠叫起来。 来自辞典例句
13 scouts e6d47327278af4317aaf05d42afdbe25     
侦察员[机,舰]( scout的名词复数 ); 童子军; 搜索; 童子军成员
参考例句:
  • to join the Scouts 参加童子军
  • The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组,然后开始巡逻这个地区。
14 necessitated 584daebbe9eef7edd8f9bba973dc3386     
使…成为必要,需要( necessitate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Recent financial scandals have necessitated changes in parliamentary procedures. 最近的金融丑闻使得议会程序必须改革。
  • No man is necessitated to do wrong. 没有人是被迫去作错事的。
15 proceeding Vktzvu     
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报
参考例句:
  • This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
  • The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。
16 toad oJezr     
n.蟾蜍,癞蛤蟆
参考例句:
  • Both the toad and frog are amphibian.蟾蜍和青蛙都是两栖动物。
  • Many kinds of toad hibernate in winter.许多种蟾蜍在冬天都会冬眠。
17 prospecting kkZzpG     
n.探矿
参考例句:
  • The prospecting team ploughed their way through the snow. 探险队排雪前进。
  • The prospecting team has traversed the length and breadth of the land. 勘探队踏遍了祖国的山山水水。
18 joyful N3Fx0     
adj.欢乐的,令人欢欣的
参考例句:
  • She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
  • They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。
19 measles Bw8y9     
n.麻疹,风疹,包虫病,痧子
参考例句:
  • The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
  • The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。


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