The destruction was even greater than he had anticipated. It had not occurred to him that any lives would be lost, but he judged now that the men at the ranch had probably been drowned. His interest drew him closer, to a point from which he could see the lower part of the valley. He made here two discoveries. Three men were out in the flooded district on the roof of a low building. Another group, on the shore line below him, were building two rafts, evidently with a rescue in mind. One of the workmen caught sight of Prowers and called to him. Jake decided it was better to go down, since he had been recognized. He glanced at the dam engineer and subdued a cackle. It might easily be possible to go too far just now. “You move yore reservoir down here last night, Merrick?” he asked maliciously. “Wisht I’d ’a’ known. I’d kinda liked to ’a’ seen you bringin’ it down.” Merrick said nothing. He continued to trim an edge from a plank with a hatchet. But though he did not look at Prowers his mind was full of him. He had been thinking about him all morning. Why had the dam gone out? Had it been dynamited? Was this the work of him and his hangers-on? “’Seems like you might ’a’ let a fellow know,” the cowman complained in his high, thin voice. Black appeared, dragging a plank he had salvaged. He looked at Prowers, and instantly his mind was full of suspicion. He had known the old man thirty years. “’Lo, Don,” continued Jake with an amiable edge of irony. “Always doing some neighborly good deed, ain’t you? You’ll be a Boy Scout by an’ by if you don’t watch out.” Black looked at him with level eyes. “Howcome you here so early, Jake?” “Me! On my way to Wild Horse. Come to that, I’m some surprised to see you, Don.” “I been workin’ for Mr. Merrick,” the range rider said curtly. “That’s why I’m here. But mostly when you go to Wild Horse you don’t ramble round by the Quarter Circle, Jake. I’m kinda wonderin’ how you happened round this way.” “Huntin’ for a two-year-old reported strayed over thisaway. Lucky I came. I’ll be able to help.” He turned to Merrick unctuously, his bleached eyes mildly solicitous. “If the’s a thing on earth I can do, why I’m here to go to it.” The men were carrying one of the rafts to the edge of the water. Merrick gave his whole attention to the business of manning and equipping it. “This raft heads for the Steeples,” he announced. “Two volunteers wanted to steer it.” Black stopped chewing tobacco. “How about you ’n’ me, Jake?” he asked quietly. For once Prowers was taken at disadvantage. “I ain’t any sailor, Don.” “None of us are. But you offered to help. ’Course, if you’re scared.” The cattleman’s head moved forward, his eyes narrowed. “Did you say scared?”