But quickly as they worked, the edge of the water was within a few inches of the shaft when the next man reached the surface; but again the bucket descended before the rope tightened.

However, the water had begun to run over the lip--at first, in a mere trickle, and then, almost instantaneously, in a cascade, which grew larger and larger.
The bucket was halfway up when a sound like thunder was heard, the ground seemed to tremble under their feet, and then at the turn of the valley above, a great wave of yellow water, crested with foam, was seen tearing along at the speed of a race horse.
"The dam has burst!" Saunders shouted.

"Run for your lives, or we are all lost!" The three men dropped the handles and ran at full speed towards the shore, while loud shouts to Dick to follow came from the crowd of men standing on the slope.

But the boy grasped the handles, and with lips tightly closed, still toiled on.

Slowly the bucket ascended, for Red George was a heavy man; then suddenly the weight slackened, and the handle went round faster.