
    ,,*APT] ,,XX

    ,,! ,,GOV]N;T ,,A3EPTS
  8,:EW6 ,LET ME SIT D[N "S": & GET MY
BR1?60 GASP$ ,TOM1 :5 X 0 ALL OV]4
  8,I %D ?9K Y WD WANT A BIT ( QUIET10
REPLI$ ,N$4 8,Y'VE BE5 ON ! JUMP S9CE
E>LY MORN+40
  8,B.S MY D9+-ROOM TA#60 CRI$ ,MR4
,DAMON4 8,I %D SAY S6 ,I'LL G TELL !
COOK 6GET U ALL A GD M1L--WE NE$ X10 =A
-PET5T COOK _H BE5 9/ALL$ 9 ! OLD
F>MH\SE ": ,TOM & 8 "PY _H _! H1DQU>T]S4
  8,B Y DID ! TRICK1 ,TOM1 OLD MAN60
EXCLAIM$ ,N$1 F]V5TLY1 Z HE LOOK$ D[N !
VALLEY & SAW ! REC$+ WAT]4 ,=1 )! OP5+
(! *ANNEL 96! O!R VALLEY ! FLOOD1 AT NO
"T "PICUL>LY DANG]\S NE> ,PRE/ON1 0
SUBSID+ RAPIDLY4
  8,HE SURE DID10 DCLD ! =EMAN4 8,NO "O
ELSE CD H D"O X1 EI40
  8,OH1 ,I DON'T "K10 SPOKE ,TOM1
MODE/LY4 8,X J HAPP5$ S4 ,"! 0 "O M9UTE1
?\<1 AF ,I GOT 6! PLACE 9 ,PRE/ON ": ,I
_H /OR$ ! P[D]1 T ,I DIDN'T "K :E!R ,I
WD SU3E$ OR N40
  8,H[ 0 T80 ASK$ ,MR4 ,DAMON4
  8,:Y1 9 MY HURRY & EXCITE;T ,I =GOT !
KEY 6! "UGR.D /OREROOM ": ,I _H PUT !
EXPLOSIVE4 ,I KNEW "! 0 NO "T 6GET
ANO!R1 S ,I TOOK A *.E & BUR/ 9 ! DOOR )
AN AXE ,I F.D 9 ! FREI<T DEPOT40
  8,I %D SAY Y DID TAKE A *.E60 DCLD
,N$1 :O KNEW H[ 8FR1KY0 ! HI< EXPLOSIVE
WAS1 & H[ LIKELY X WAS1 AT "TS1 6BE SET
(F 0! L1/ 3CUS.N4
  8,B X CAME \ ALL "R10 W5T ON ,TOM4 8,I
BUNDL$ X 96! O!R S1T ( MY ,HUMM+ ,BIRD1
& />T$ BACK40
  8,_H MO/ (! FOLKS LEFT T[N80 ASK$ !
=EMAN4
  8,NE>LY ALL10 REPLI$ ,TOM4 8,! LA/ (
!M 7 HURRY+ AWAY Z ,I LEFT4 ,& X %[S H[
SC>$ !Y W]E1 !Y DIDN'T PAY ANY ATT5;N
6ME & MY FLY+ MA*9E1 ?\< ,I'LL WAG] "S (
!M N"E SAW "O 2F40
  8,WELL1 !Y DON'T NE$ 6BE SC>$ ANY M10
PUT 9 ,MR4 ,DAMON 8,Y SAV$ _! HOMES =
!M1 ,TOM40
  8,I'D L 6GET HOLD (! FELL[ :O DOP$ MY
P[D]2 T'S :AT ,I'D L 6D10 MURMUR$ ! "Y
9V5TOR4 8,N$1 WE'LL H 6BE D\BLY WAT*;L F
N[ ON4 ,B ,I M/ TAKE A LOOK AT MY GUN4
,T LA/ *>GE MAY H /RA9$ X40
  ,B ! GIANT CANNON 0 Z P]FECT Z ! "D X
0 TURN$ \ (! %OP4 ,N EV5 ! EXTRA *>GE (!
P[];L EXPLOSIVE _H 9JUR$ X4
  8,T'S F9E60 CRI$ ,TOM1 Z HE LOOK$ AT E
"P4 8,Z SOON Z ? FLOOD IS OV] WE'LL TRY
"S M PRACTICE %OTS4 ,B WE'RE ALL 5TITL$
6A RE/ N[0
  ,! GRT GUN 0 COV]$ ) T>PAUL9S 6PROTECT
X F ! W1!R1 & !N ALL RETIR$ 6! H\SE =A
B.TI;L M1L4 ,LATE T AFN NE>LY ALL SIGNS
(! FLOOD _H 4APPE>$1 SAVE T AL;G ! $GES
(! CREEK 0 M* DRIFTWOOD1 %[+ ! HEI<T 6:
! CREEK _H RIS54 ,B X WD H G"O M* HI<]
_H X N BE5 = ,TOM'S "TLY %OT4
  ,! WAT] F ! IMP.D$ LAKE 3T9U$ 6P\R D[N
96! CROSS VALLEY1 & DID "S DAMAGE1 B
NO?+ L :AT WD H FOLL[$ XS ADV5T
96,PRE/ON4 ,! FEW 9HABITANTS (! GUL* 96:
! "Y 9V5TOR _H DIRECT$ ! FLOOD _H _H
W>N+1 & _H FL$ 9 "T4 ,9 ,PRE/ON1 "S FEW
H\SES NE>E/ ! BANKS (! RIS+ CREEK 7
FLOOD$1 B 7 N C>RI$ AWAY4
  ,! FOLL[+ "D "S (! (FIC]S (! WAT]
-PANY PD A VISIT 6,TOM1 6?ANK HM = :AT
HE _H D"O4 ,B = HM !Y WD H BE5 RESPONSI#
= GRT PROP]TY DAMAGE1 & LOSS ( LIFE MI<T
H FOLL[$4

,!Y 9T5D$ 6REBUILD ! DAM1 !Y SD1 ON A
  NEW
PR9CIPLE1 MAK+ X M* /R;G]4

  8,&10 SD ! PRESID5T1 8WE W H AN
EM]G5CY \TLET GATE 96T VALLEY Y S
PROVID5TI,Y OP5$ = U1 ,MR4 ,SWIFT4 ,!N1
9 "T ( GRT RA91 WE C LET ! WAT] \ SL[LY
Z WE NE$ TO40
  ,TOM'S *IEF ANXIETY1 N[1 0 6BR+ 8
P]FECT$ GUN 6! NOTICE (! ,UNIT$ ,/ATES
,GOV]N;T (FICIALS4 ,6H !M A3EPT X1 HE
KNEW HE M/ GIVE X A TE/ 2F ! ORDN.E
BO>D1 & 2F ! (FIC]S (! >MY & NAVY4 ,ACLY
HE PREP>$ = ?4
  ,HE ORD]$ S"EAL NEW PROJECTILES1 "S (A
DI6]5T TYPE F ^? "HTO=E US$1 & L1V+
,KOKU & ,N$ 9 *>GE (! GUN1 W5T BACK
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A4I;NAL SUPPLY ( 8 EXPLOSIVE4 ,HE TOOK
C>E1 TOO1 T NO SPIES GA9$ A3ESS 6X4
  ,!N1 )A PL5TI;L SUPPLY ( AMMUNI;N &
PROJECTILES1 ,TOM RESUM$ 8 PRACTICE 9 !
L"OLY VALLEY4 ,HE _H1 9 ! M1N:ILE1 S5T
REQUE/S 6! PROP] GOV]N;T (FICIALS 6-E &
WIT;S ! TE/S4
  ,AT F/ HE MET ) NO SU3ESS1 & HE LE>N$1
9CID5T,Y1 T ,G5]AL ,WALL] _H BUILT A NEW
GUN1 ! M]ITS ( : HE 0 AL ANXI\S 6%[4
  8,X'S A SORT ( RIVALRY 2T U10 SD ,TOM
6,N$4
  ,B1 9 A WAY1 =TUNE FAVOR$ \R H]O4 ,=
:5 ,G5]AL ,WALL] TE/$ 8 NEW GUN1 ?\< X
DID N BUR/1 X DID N -E UP 6EXPECT,NS1 &
XS RANGE 0 N Z GRT Z "S (! W1PONS ALR 9
USE4
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FR AT C\RT4 ,HE 8PULL$ WIRES0 6GD
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"O (! ORDN.E (FIC]S WD 2 PRES5T ON A
C]TA9 "D 6WIT;S ! TE/S4
  8,I WI% ! :OLE BO>D _H -E10 SD ,TOM4
8,PROBABLY !Y H ONLY S5T A "Y FELL[1 J \
( ,WE/ ,PO9T1 :O W TURN ME D[N4
  8,B ,I'M GO+ 6GIVE HM ! SURPRISE ( 8
LIFE2 & IF HE DOESN'T REPORT FAVORABLY1
& 9SI/ ON ! :OLE BO>D -+ \ "H1 ,I'LL 2
M* 4APPO9T$40
  ,TOM MADE 8 PREP>,NS C>E;LLY1 &
C]TA9LY ,CAPTA9 ,WAYDELL1 ! "Y (FIC] :O
CAME 6REPRES5T ,UNCLE ,SAM1 0 IMPRESS$4
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! SIDE (! M.TA94 ,GRT HOLES & GA%ES 7
TORN 9 ! E>?4 ,! GUN EV5 EXCE$$ ! RANGE
( ?IRTY MILES4 ,&! H1VIE/ >MOR PLATE T
CD 2 PROCUR$ 0 6! PROJECTILES (! GIANT
CANNON L *EESE 6A REVOLV] BULLET4
  8,X'S GRT1 ,MR4 ,SWIFT6 ,GRT60 DCLD !
"Y CAPTA94 8,I % /R;GLY RECOMM5D T !
5TIRE BO>D SEE ? TE/40 ,& :5 ,TOM LET HM
FIRE ! GUN HMF ! "Y MAN 0 M ?AN DELI<T$4
  ,HE 0 Z GD Z 8 ^W1 &A WEEK LAT] !
5TIRE ORDN.E BO>D1 F ! "YE/ MEMB] 6!
GRAVE & GRIZZL$ VET]ANS1 7 PRES5T 6WIT;S
! TE/ ( ,TOM'S GIANT CANNON4
  ,X IS NE$.S 6SAY T X 0 SU3ESS;L4 ,TOM
& ,N$1 N 6M5;N ,MR4 ,DAMON1 ,KOKU & E
LOYAL MEMB] (! /EEL "W+ GANG1 SAW 6X T
"! 0 NO HIT*4 ,! SOLID %OTS 7 REG>D$ )
WOND]1 & :5 ! EXPLOSIVE "O 0 S5T AG/ !
HILLSIDE1 MAK+ A GEYS] ( E>?1 ! 5?USIASM
0 UNB.D$4
  8,WE % C]TA9LY RECOMM5D YR GUN1 ,MR4
,SWIFT10 DCLD ! ,*IEF ( ,/AFF4 8,X DOES
J :AT WE WANT X 6D1 & WE H NO D\BT T
,3GRESS W APPROPRIATE ! M"OY = S"EAL ) :
6=TIFY ! ,PANAMA ,CANAL40
  8,! GUN IS MO/ WOND];L10 SPOKE A VOICE
)A ,G]MAN A35T4 8,X IS SURPRIS+60
  ,TOM & ,N$ BO? />T$4 ,!Y SAW AN (FIC]1
EVID5TLY A =EIGN]1 RESPL5D5T 9 GOLD
TRIMM+S1 &) _M M$ALS1 /&+ NE> ! SECRET>Y
(! ORDN.E BO>D4
  8,YES1 ,G5]AL VON ,BR"UG]10 AGRE$ !
*IEF1 8X IS A MO/ "TLY 9V5;N4 ,MR4
,SWIFT1 ALL[ ME 6PRES5T Y 6,G5]AL VON
,BR"UG]1 (! ,G]MAN >MY1 :O IS "H LE>N+
H[ ,UNCLE ,SAM DOES ?+S40
  ,TOM B[$ & %OOK H&S4 ,HE GL.ED %>PLY
AT ! ,G]MAN1 B 0 SURE HE _H N"E SE5 HM
2F4 ,!N ALL ! BO>D1 & ,G5]AL VON
,BR"UG]1 :O1 X APPE>$1 0 PRES5T Z AN
9VIT$ GUE/1 EXAM9$ ! BIG CANNON
CRITIC,Y1 :ILE ,TOM EXPLA9$ ! V>I\S
DETAILS4
  ,:5 ! BO>D MEMB]S LEFT1 ! *IEF PROMIS$
6LET ,TOM "K ! RESULT (! =MAL REPORT Z
SOON Z POSSI#4
  ,! "Y 9V5TOR DID N H L;G 6WAIT4 ,9 AB
TWO WEEKS1 DUR+ : "T HE & ,N$ P]FECT$
S"EAL LL MATT]S AB ! CANNON1 "! CAME AN
(FICIAL-LOOK+ DOCU;T4
  8,WELL1 WE'LL SOON "K ! V]DICT10 SPOKE
,TOM1 "S:AT N]V\SLY1 Z HE OP5$ !
5VELOPE4 ,QKLY HE R1D ! 5CLOSURE4
  8,:AT IS X60 CRI$ ,N$4
  8,! GOV]N;T A3EPTS MY GUN60 EXCLAIM$ !
"Y 9V5TOR4
8,X W PUR*ASE A NUMB] Z SOON Z !Y C 2
MADE4 ,WE >E 6TAKE "O 6,PANAMA1 ": X W 2
SET UP4 ,HURRAY1 ,N$1 MY BOY6 ,N[ =
,PANAMA60





