
    ,,*APT] ,,XVII

    ,,! ,,BUR/+ ,,DAM
  8,B.S MY F.TA9 P560 EXCLAIM$ ,MR4
,DAMON4 8,Y DON'T M1N X60
  8,I SURE D60 W5T ON ! MAN :O _H BR"\ !
/>TL+ NEWS4 8,&! FOLKS D[N 2L >5'T GO+
6H ANY M "T ?AN !Y NE$ 6GET \ (! WAY4
,!Y'LL H 6LOSE "S ( _! GDS1 ,I RECKON4
,B ,I ?"\ ,I'D /OP ON MY WAY D[N & W>N
Y4 ,Y'D BETT] 2 GETT+ A HU/LE ON40
  8,X'S V K9D ( Y10 SPOKE ,TORN2 8B ,I
DON'T FANCY WE >E 9 ANY DANG]40
  8,NO DANG]60 CRI$ ! MAN4 8,SAY1 :5 T
WAT] 2G9S 6SWEEP-D[N "H NO?+ ON E>? C
/OP X4 ,T BIG GUN ( YRS1 H1VY Z X IS1 W
2 SWEPT AWAY L A /RAW1 ,I "K--,I SAW !
,JOHNST[N FLOOD60
  8,B WE'RE S HI< UP ON ! SIDE (! HILL1
T ! WAT] WON'T -E "H10 PUT 9 ,N$4 8,WE
_H T ALL FIGUR$ \ :5 WE HE>D ! DAM 0
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,TOM80
  8,WELL1 ,I H>DLY D1 OR ,I WD N H SET !
GUN ": ,I DID4 ,TELL ME10 HE W5T ON 6!
MAN1 8IS "! ANY WAY ( OP5+ ! DAM1 6LET !
WAT] \ GRADU,Y80
  8,"! IS1 B ! OP5+S >E N 5 ) S* A FLOOD
Z ?4 ,! 5G9E]S N"E C.T$ ON S M* RA94
,X'S 2Y ANY !Y "E _H "H4 ,Y SEE1 "! 0 A
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,"S (! WAT] F ! SPILLWAY FL[S 96T N[1 B
XS *ANNEL WON'T HOLD A HUNDR$? "P (!
FLOOD IF ! DAM GOES \4
  8,Y'D BETT] MOVE1 ,I TELL Y4 ,! DAM IS
SL[LY W1K5+4 ,WE'VE D"O ALL WE C 6SAVE
X1 B T'S \ (! "Q4 ,! ONLY ?+ 6D IS 6RUN
:ILE "!'S "T4 ,WE'VE TRI$ 6MAKE A4I;NAL
OP5+S1 B WE D>5'T MAKE ANY M1 OR ! WALL
W 2 S W1K5$ T X W G \ 9 LESS ?AN TW5TY-
F\R H\RS4
  8,Y'VE _H YR W>N+1 N[ PR(IT 0X60 HE
A4$4 8,I'M GO+ 6TELL ^? POOR S\LS D[N 9
! VALLEY 2L4 ,X W 2 T\< ON !M2 B X C'T 2
HELP$40
  8,IF ! DAM BUR/S &! WAT] CD ONLY 2
TURN$ OV] 96! TRANSV]SE VALLEY1 ? "O WD
2 SAFE10 SD ,TOM1 9 A L[ VOICE4
  8,YES1 B X C'T 2 D"O60 ! MESS5G]
EXCLAIM$4 8,\R 5G9E]S ?"\ ( T1 B X WD
TAKE A WEEK 6OP5 A *ANNEL1 & "! ISN'T
"T4 ,X C'T 2 D"O60
  8,MAYBE X C10 SPOKE ,TOM1 S(TLY1 B NO
"O ASK$ HM :AT HE M1NT4
  8,WELL1 ,I M/ 2 (F10 ! MAN W5T ON4
8,I'VE D"O MY DUTY 9 W>N+ Y40
  8,YES1 Y H10 AGRE$ ,TOM1 8& IF ANY
DAMAGE -ES 6U X W 2 \R [N FAULT4 ,B ,I
DON'T 2LIEVE "! W40
  ,! MAN HA/5$ \1 MURMUR+ "S?+ AB 8RA% &
FOOLH>DY P40
  8,:AT >E Y GO+ 6D1 ,TOM80 ASK$ ,N$4
  8,/AY "R "H40
  8,B IF ! DAM BUR/S80
  8,X MAY N1 B1 IF X DOES1 WE'LL 2 SAFE4
,I H _H A LOOK AT ! WAT]1 & "!'S NO *.E
= X 6RISE "H1 EV5 IF ! :OLE DAM W5T \ AT
ONCE1 : IS N LIKELY4 ,DON'T WORRY4
,WE'LL 2 ALL "R40
  8,B.S MY *ECKBOOK60 CRI$ ,MR4 ,DAMON4
8,B :AT AB ^? POOR P 9 ! VALLEY80
  8,!Y W H "T 6FLEE1 & SAVE _! LIVES10
SPOKE ! "Y 9V5TOR2 8B !Y MAY LOSE _!
HOMES4 ,!Y C SUE ! WAT] -PANY = DAMAGES1
?\<4 ,N[ DON'T D ANY M WORRY+1 B GET
6B$1 & 2 R1DY =! TE/ TM4 ,&! F/ ?+ ,I D
,I'M GO+ 6H A LL FLI<T 9 ! ,HUMM+ ,BIRD
6GET MY N]VES 9 TRIM4 ,? L;G RA9 HAS
GOTT5 ME 9 POOR %APE4 ,KOKU1 Y M/ 2 ON !
AL]T TN4 ,I DON'T WANT ANY?+ 6HAPP5 6MY
GUN AT ! LA/ M9UTE40
  8,ME WAT*60 EXCLAIM$ ! GIANT1
SIGNIFICANTLY1 Z HE PICK$ UP A H1VY
CLUB4
  8,D Y ANTICIPATE ANY TR\#80 ASK$ ,N$1
ANXI\SLY4
  8,NO1 B X'S BE/ 6BE ON ! SAFE SIDE10
ANSW]$ ,TOM4 8,N[ LET'S TURN IN40
  ,C]TA9LY ! NEXT "D1 B"R & SUN%9Y Z X
BROKE1 _H 9 X LL ( IMP5D+ 4A/]4 ,! W1!R
0 F9E AF ! L;G-3T9U$ RA9S1 &! :OLE
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CD 2 SE5 ! GRT DAM1 ) WAT] P\R+ OV] X 9
A ?9 %EET1 =M+ A SMALL /R1M T TRICKL$
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  ,B1 "? GRT PIPES T L$ 6! DR9K+ SY/EM1
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SOLID WAT]1 REDUC+ 0Z M* Z ! 5G9E]S 7 A#
! PRESSURE ON ! 3CRETE WALL4
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FLI<T \ 6! DAM %ORTLY AF BR1KFA/1 :5 !
/EEL M5 7 PUTT+ A FEW F9I%+ T\*ES 6! GUN
C>RIAGE1 R1DY =! TE/ T 0 6TAKE PLACE AB
NOON4
  8,X DOESN'T LOOK Z ?\< X WD BUR/10
OBS]V$ ,N$1 Z ! AIRCRAFT HOV]$ OV] ! BIG
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  8,NO10 AGRE$ ,TOM4 8,B ,I SUPPOSE !
5G9E]S WANT 6BE ON ! SAFE SIDE 9 CASE (
DAMAGE SUITS4 ,I WANT 6TAKE A LOOK AT !
PLACE ": ! O!R VALLEY -ES UP 6? AT "R
ANGLES40
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& CIRCL$ L[ OV] ! SPOT4
  8,A BUR/+ PROJECTILE1 AB ": T BIG :ITE
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  8,:AT TRICK80 ASK$ ,N$1 CURI\SLY4
  8,OH1 ,I GUESS ,I 0 TALK+ 6MYF10
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,N$40
  8,WELL1 Y'RE TALK+ 9 RI4LES TD1 ALL
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PL1SE D40
  8,I W4 ,N[ WE'LL GET BACK1 & FIRE \R
F/ L;G %OT4 ,I D HOPE ,I MAKE A RECORD40
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=EMAN (! /EEL "W]S ASSUR$ ,TOM T ALL 0 9
R1DI;S4 ,X 0 "S "T T AFN :5 ^W 0 GIV5 =
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VALLEY S T NO "O1 UN.S HE 0 LOOK+ =
TR\#1 NE$ 2 9 ! VIC9;Y (! GUN1 NOR NE>
": ! %OTS 7 6L&4
  ,"? P[];L GLASSES ,TOM & ,N$ SURVEY$ !
4TANT M.TA9 T 0 6BE ! T>GET4 ,S"EAL GRT
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  8,I GUESS WE'RE R1DY N[10 ANN\NC$ ! "Y
9V5TOR1 A BIT N]V\SLY4 8,BR+ UP ! P[D]1
,KOKU40
  8,ME BR+10 EXCLAIM$ ! GIANT1 CALMLY1 Z
HE W5T 6! BOMB-PRO( ": ! P[];L EXPLOSIVE
0 KEPT4
  ,! GRT PROJECTILE 0 9 R1DI;S 6BE SLUNG
96! BREE* 0M1NS (! HOI/+ APP>ATUS1 = X
WEI<$ CLOSE 6TWO TONS4 ,X 0 C>E;LLY
9S]T$ "U ,TOM'S SUP]VI.N4 ,X C>RI$ NO
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6E/ABLI% ! EXTREME RANGE T 8 CANNON WD
%OOT4
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HOI/+ APP>ATUS 2+ 4P5S$ )4 ,TOM FIGUR$ \
T FIVE HUNDR$ P.DS ( 8 NEW1 P[];L
EXPLOSIVE WD 2 AB ! "R AM.T 6USE1 & ?
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H&L+ EASI]1 0 QKLY 9S]T$ 9 ! BREE* (!
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  8,B.S MY DOORMAT60 CRI$ ,MR4 ,DAMON1
:O /OOD NE>1 LOOK+ N]V\SLY ON4 8,DON'T
DROP ANY ( T40
  8,ME NO DROP10 0 ! ANSW]4
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( PAP]1 & ,N$1 :O LOOK$ OV] 8 %\LD]1 SAW
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GEOMETRY1 ALGEBRA1 DI6]5TIAL CALCULUS &
O!R HI<] MA!MATICS4
  8,:AT >E Y DO+1 ,TOM80 HE ASK$4
  8,I'M TRY+ 63FIRM MY [N !ORIES 0M1NS (
FIGURES1 6SEE IF ,I C RE,Y R1* T F>!/
T>GET40
  8,:AT1 N ! "O ?IRTY MILES AWAY4
  8,T'S X1 ,N$4 ,I WANT 6GET A ?IRTY-
MILE RANGE IF ,I C40
  8,X ISN'T POSSI#1 ,TOM40
  8,B.S MY TAPE M1SURE6 ,I %D SAY N60
CRI$ ,MR4 ,DAMON4
  8,WE'LL SEE10 REPLI$ ,TOM1 QUIETLY4
8,PUT 9 ! PRIM]1 ,N$2 &1 ,KOKU1 CLOSE !
BREE* & SLOT X HOME40
  ,9 A FEW SECONDS ! GRT GUN 0 R1DY =
FIR+4
  8,N[10 SD ,TOM1 8? ?+ MAY 2 ALL "R1 &
X MAY N4 ,! ONLY ?+ T C CAUSE AN A3ID5T
W 2 A FLAW 9 ! /EEL4 ,NO "O C GU>D AG/
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( CAVE T _H BE5 HOLL[$ \ 9 ! SIDE (!
HILL1 & AT AN ANGLE F ! BIG GUN4
  8,IF X DOES BUR/--: ,I HOPE X WON'T10
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S WE W 2 SAFE 5 "H4 ,N$1 >E Y >E R1DY AT
! 9/RU;TS80
  8,YES1 ,TOM40
  8,I WANT Y 6NOTE ! REGI/]$ MUZZLE
VELOC;Y4 ,MR4 ,DAMON1 Y W PL1SE R1D !
PRESSURE GAUGE4 ,AF ,I PRESS ! BUTTON
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TELESCOPE40
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F>!/ T>GET--"O ?IRTY MILES AWAY1
TELESCOPE SI<TS ON ! GIANT CANNON MAK+ ?
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  8,ALL R1DY60 CRI$ ,TOM4
  8,ALL R1DY10 ANSW]$ ,N$4
  ,"! 0 A T5SE MO;T2 ,TOM'S ?UMB PRESS$
HOME ! ELECTRIC BUTTON1 & !N CAME !
EXPLO.N4
  ,X SEEM$ =A MO;T Z IF "EY"O 0 LIFT$ F
8 FEET4 ,!Y _H ALL /OOD ON _! TIPTOES1 &
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CAVE SMALL /"OS & GRAVEL RATTL$ D[N ON
_! H1DS4 ,_! E>-DRUMS 7 NUMB$ F ! %OCK4
,&! NOISE T FILL$ ! VALLEY SEEM$ L A
?\S& ?"UBOLTS M]G$ 96"O4
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  8,HURRAY60 HE CRI$ 9 DELI<T4 8,%E /OOD
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/RAI<T Z AN >R[4 ,"!6 ,0,CAES>1 ,N$6 ,X
L&$ )9 ?REE FEET (! T>GET6 ,OH1 Y
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?IRTY MILES60
  8,X'S GRT1 ,TOM60 YELL$ 8 *UM1 CLAPP+
HM ON ! BACK1 & CAP]+ AB4 8,X'S ! L;GE/
%OT ON RECORD40
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8,NO CANNON "E MADE C EQUAL X4 ,Y W91
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  8,B.S MY >MOR PLATE60 GASP$ ,MR4
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,CANAL CD FLOAT AF A %OT L T40
  8,N "O10 DCLD ,TOM2 8ESPECI,Y AF ,I
PUT A BUR/+ *>GE 96! PROJECTILE4 ,WE'LL
TRY T NEXT40
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"PICLES (! UNEXPLOD$ P[D] 7 BL[N \ (!
BIG CANNON4 ,!N X 0 LOAD$ AG1 !
PROJECTILE ? "T C>RY+ A BUR/+ *>GE (
ANO!R EXPLOSIVE T WD 2 SET (F 03CUS.N4
  ,ONCE M !Y RETIR$ 6! BOMBPRO(1 & AG !
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,X 0 L A S& GEYS]4 ,!N1 :5 ? SETTL$ BACK
AG1 "! 0 LEFT A GAP+ HOLE 9 ! SIDE (!
M.TA94
  8,T DOES ! BUSI;S60 CRI$ ,TOM4 8,MY
CANNON IS A SU3ESS60
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0 2C A DI6]5T K9D ( PROJECTILE 0 US$4
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WOND];L W1PON4
  8,IF T DOESN'T =TIFY ! ,PANAMA ,CANAL
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  8,WELL1 ,I HOPE ,I C 3V9CE ,UNCLE ,SAM
( T10 SPOKE ,TOM1 SIMPLY4
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6,TOM'S HI<E/ HOPES4 ,HE KNEW1 N[1 T HE
_H HIT ON J ! "R MIXTURE ( P[D]1 & T 8
GUN 0 CORRECTLY PROPOR;N$4 ,X %[$ N !
SLI<TE/ /RA94
  8,N[ WE'LL TRY ANO!R BUR/+ %ELL10 HE
SD1 AF A RE/1 DUR+ : "S RECORDS 7 MADE4
8,!N WE'LL CALL X A "D'S "W4 ,KOKU1 BR+
UP "S M P[D]4 ,I'LL USE A LL H1VI] *>GE
? "T40
  ,X 0 :ILE ! GUN 0 2+ LOAD$ T A
HORSEMAN 0 SE5 RID+ WILDLY D[N ! VALLEY4
,HE 0 WAV+ A R$ FLAG 9 8 H&4
  8,B.S MY WAT* *A960 CRI$ ,MR4 ,DAMON4
8,:AT'S T80
  8,X LOOKS Z ?\< HE 0 -+ 6GIVE U A
W>N+10 SU7E/$ ! /EEL =EMAN4
  8,MAYBE "S"O HAS KICK$ AB \R %OOT+10
REM>K$ ,N$4
  8,I HOPE N10 MURMUR$ ,TOM4
  ,HE LOOK$ AT ! HORSEMAN ANXI\SLY4 ,!
RID] CAME NE>] & NE>]1 WILDLY WAV+ 8
FLAG4 ,HE SEEM$ 6BE %\T+ "S?+1 B 8 ^WS
CD N 2 MADE \4 ,F9,Y HE CAME NE> 5 6BE
HE>D4
  8,! DAM6 ,! DAM60 HE CRI$4 8,X'S
BUR/+4 ,YR %OTS H HA/5$ X4 ,! CRACKS >E
WID5+4 ,Y'D BETT] GET AWAY60 ,& HE
GALLOP$ ON4
  8,B.S MY TOILET SOAP60 GASP$ ,MR4
,DAMON4
  8,I 0 AFRAID ( ?60 MURMUR$ ,TOM4 8,B1
S9CE \R %OTS H HA/5$ ! 4A/]1 MAYBE WE C
AV]T X40
  8,H[80 DEM&$ ,N$4
  8,I'LL %[ Y4 ,ALL H&S -E "H & WE'LL
%IFT ? GUN4 ,I WANT X 6PO9T AT T BIG
:ITE /"O60 & HE 9DICAT$ AN IMM5SE B\LD]1
WELL UP ! VALLEY1 NE> ! PLACE ": ! TWO
GRT GUL*ES JO9$4














