“That water-supply you spoke about—is it too late to do anything with it this year?”
“Yes,” I answered.
The Captain nodded and walked away.
I ploughed one day more, then the Captain came to me again. He was out and about everywhere these days, working hard, keeping an eye on everything. He gave himself barely time for a proper meal, but was out again at once, in the fields, the barn, the cattle-sheds, or up in the woods where the men were at work.
“You'd better get to work on that water-supply,” he said. “The ground's workable still, and may stay so for a long time yet. What help will you want?”
“Grindhusen can help,” I said. “But....”
“Yes, and Lars. What were you going to say?”
“The frost may set in any day now.”
“Well, and then it may snow and soften the ground again. We're not frost-bound here every year,” said the Captain. “You'd better take a few extra hands, and set some of them to digging, the rest to the masonry work. You've done all this before, I think you said?”
“Yes.”