who seemed to have been lost in thought ever since
Felicia's appearance, now spoke suddenly, but with closed eyes.

"No, don't leave this spot. You are destined to great good luck here."

The two men looked at each other. Ernest shrugged his shoulders and
Roger sighed and asked:

"Did the pump come?"

"Yes, and the hose and the pipe for the condenser. We brought that and
the glass, the cement, more lumber, and the drum of sulphur dioxide.
There are two more big loads down there."

Roger nodded. "I'll take my turn at it to-morrow. Did you see Schmidt?"

"Yes, and he suggested that if we'd tie Preble's team to our wagon, he'd
drive a load back for us, so only you would need to come in."

"We can't afford to have Schmidt come out here now," sighed Roger.

"Let him come!" murmured the visitor, still with closed eyes. "He will
be provided for. It's a great work and must go on."

Roger jerked himself to his feet. "Let's go outside, Ern," he exclaimed.

Madam opened her eyes for a moment to say, "Send the child in to wash
the dishes!"

Ernest turned a chuckle into a hiccough and followed Roger over to the
well. "Roger, it won't cost much to keep him for a week and that
provides for getting Hackett's team back and stopping that expense."

Roger nodded. "Let's leave those dishes on the table till she does 'em
or we have to get lunch."

"O. K.! There she goes into her tent. Rog, she's plain crazy. Well, what
do we tackle to-day?"

"We'd better get the pump ready and then start to build the engine
house. I want it big enough to include the laboratory."

"Right-o! Dick suggested we save lumber by making the engine house of
adobe. He says the sand storms that'll blow next month will ruin our
apparatus if we don't cover it well."

"Where'll we get the adobe?" asked Roger.

"He said that that layer of clay we struck about four feet down in the
well is extra fine adobe and that he'll show us how to handle it. I
wonder how long he'll be sick, poor chap! Was Dick ever sick this way
before, Felicia?" he called.

"Lots of times!" the child called back. "Oh, Ernest, here's a little,
little bundle that's so soft it can't be a machine. Can't I open it? It
might be for me."

"Go ahead!" replied Ernest.

"If the adobe won't take too long, I like the idea," said Roger. "But
with our new financial problem, we're working against time."

"Oh, isn't it awful. Nothing but dish cloths for Charley!" shrieked
Felicia.

"She'l