"And we must boil it. We must build a machine, something like the machines you use for smelting copper. Come into the cavern, I will draw the parts for it in secret for you. I will show you on the walls of the cavern how it must be done."
"We can make this machine?"
"It will take time. But if you can make the cartridges for Colt, you can make this machine. We will do it together."
Using a pointed splinter of obsidian, O'Hara tediously worked out the design for a rudimentary still, sufficient, he was certain, for refracting kerosene. "This part must be copper," he explained to the Elder. "A retort to contain the black water."
"I see it, O'Hara."
"And here we must have pipes. Like a hollow reed, like the barrel of Colt. Can you do this?"
"It can be done. We will make a rod of clay and dip it into molten copper. When it cools we will wash out the clay."
"That will do it. You must have a very hot fire here—I think that if we spray black water on a bed of coals—with perhaps a bellows here—"
"You must draw that."
"Here it is. And we will need these coils—we will bend the copper pipes for this—"