"That it is; that it is. Going out today?"
"Why not? Nearly four hours till sundown. We can start planning today, then get busy in the morning."
Their mother came in just then. "I thought it felt like we had landed. What are you going to do here?" She glanced out of the port.
"We have to lay out a townsite," Jon answered, and at her astonished look he explained.
She shook her head admiringly and with surprise. "You boys continually amaze me—you seem able to do anything."
Jon shrugged that off. "When a thing has to be done, a fellow usually can figure out some way of doing it."
"Besides," Jak grinned, "we're like those old chaps on Terra who used to say, 'The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer.'"
They left her then and hurried out of the ship. Even though they felt there could be no possible danger here—they could see for miles in every direction, and noticed nothing moving—they were wise enough from experience to carry their rifles slung across their backs, and wore bandoliers of ammunition. In addition, both carried tools and what equipment they felt might be needed.
Once outside, they ran first to the river, and tested the water. It was fresh and clear, and they knew this would be a good source of water for their proposed city ... until men might pollute it with their garbage and wastes.
"Got your pedometer?" Jak asked.