Then the gasoline engines began to snort, great lengths of tubing were let down into the shaft, and spurting water started down the mountain side as the task of unwatering the shaft began.
But it was a slow job.

Morning found the distance to the water lengthened by twenty or thirty feet, and the bucket brigades nearly at the end of their ropes.

Men trudged down the hills to breakfast, sending others in their places.

Fairchild stayed on to meet Mother Howard and assuage her nervousness as best he could, dividing his time between her and the task before him.

Noon found more water than ever tumbling down the hills--the smaller pumps were working now in unison with the larger one--for Sam Herbenfelder had not missed a single possible outlet of aid in his campaign; every man in Ohadi with an obligation to pay, with back interest due, or with a bill yet unaccounted for was on his staff, to say nothing of those who had volunteered simply to still the tearful remonstrances of the hand-wringing, diamond-less, little jeweler.