"That—I'd like a little less," said Bordman. "If they slanted three miles across the grade for every two down-hill, it would be better. I'd like to put a lot more lines of holes. But there's the element of time."
"I'll have him explain that he was misquoted," said Sandringham, grimly. "Three across to two down. How close do you really want those lines?"
"As close as possible," said Bordman. "But I've got to have them quickly. How does the barometer look?"
"Down a tenth," said Sandringham.
Bordman said:
"Damn! Has he got plenty of labor?"
"All the labor there is," said Sandringham. "And I'm having a road laid along the cliffs for speed with the trucks. If I dared—and if I had the pipe—I'd lay a pipe-line."
"Later," said Bordman tiredly. "If he's got labor to spare, set them to work turning the irrigation systems hind part before. Make them drainage systems. Use pumps. So if rain does come it won't be spread out on the land by all the pretty ditches. So it will be gathered instead and either flung back over the cliffs or else drained down-hill without getting a chance to sink into the ground. For the time being, anyhow."
Sandringham said:
"Has it occurred to you what a good, pounding rain would do to Headquarters, and consequently to public confidence on this island, and therefore to the attempt of anybody to do anything but wring his hands because he was doomed?"