It's easy to see what's happened.

One o' them high-toned shrimps over in the Excelsior claim has put a blast in too near the creek.

He's tumbled the bank into the creek and sent the back water down here just to wash out our race.

That's what I call poetical retribution." "And who was it advised us to dam the creek below the race and make it do the thing ?" asked the Right Bower, moodily.
"That was one of the Old Man's ideas, I reckon," said the Left Bower, dubiously.
"And you remember," broke in the Judge with animation, "I allus said, 'Go slow, go slow.

You just hold on and suthin' will happen.' And," he added, triumphantly, "you see suthin' has happened.