Shake paws!" Hippy put out a hand, but was sorry for it afterwards, for the bear-like grips of the lumberjacks left it a "pulp," as Hippy Wingate expressed it.
Work on a new dam was begun that very day.

Tom and Hippy, though lame and sore, and, at odd moments, a little dizzy, were at the dam all day long directing the work of clearing away the wreck while part of their force cut fresh spiles in the woods.

The lumberjacks, wet to the skin, worked with tremendous force and to good purpose, for the organization that Tom Gray had developed and systematized, was as near a perfectly working machine as it was humanly possible to make it.
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.