ilver tobacco box from
his pocket and sat playing with it in his fingers. It was perhaps the
only thing of value left him now.

But Geissler was restless, changing from one thing to another. He
slipped the thing back into his pocket again and started a new theme.
"But--what's that? Why, the meadow that's all grey. I thought it was
the shadow. The ground is simply parched. Come along with me, Sivert."

He rose from the table suddenly, thinking no more of food, turned in
the doorway to say "Thank you" to Inger for the meal, and disappeared,
Sivert following.

They went across to the river, Geissler peering keenly about all the
time. "Here!" he cried, and stopped. And then he explained: "Where's
the sense of letting your land dry up to nothing when you've a river
there big enough to drown it in a minute? We'll have, that meadow
green by tomorrow!"

Sivert, all astonishment, said "Yes."

"Dig down obliquely from here, see?--on a slope. The ground's level;
have to make some sort of a channel. You've a sawmill there--I suppose
you can find some long planks from somewhere? Good! Run and fetch a
pick and spade, and start here; I'll go back and mark out a proper
line."

He ran up to the house again, his boots squelching, for they were wet
through. He set Isak to work making pipes, a whole lot of them, to be
laid down where the ground could not well be cut with ditches. Isak
tried to object that the water might not get so far; the dry ground
would soak it up before it reached the parched fields. Geissler
explained that it would take some time; the earth must drink a little
first, but then gradually the water would go on--"field and meadow
green by this time tomorrow."

"Ho!" said Isak, and fell to boxing up long planks as hard as he
could.

Off hurries Geissler to Sivert once more: "That's right--keep at
it--didn't I say he was a sturdy sort? Follow these stakes, you
understand, where I've marked out. If you come up against heavy
boulders, or rock, then turn aside and go round, but keep the
level--the same depth; you see what I mean?"

Then back to Isak again: "That's one finished--good! But we shall want
more--half a dozen, perhaps. Keep at it, Isak; you see, we'll have it
all green by tomorrow--we've saved your crops!" And Geissler sat down
on the ground, slapped his knees with both hands and was delighted,
chattered away, thought in flashes of lightning. "Any pitch, any
oakum, or anything about the place? That's s