They spent the remainder of that day and all the next in hard work, making practical preparations for the arrival of the first settlers. Allan assured himself the waters of New Hope River were soft and pure and that an ample supply of fish dwelt in the pool as well as in the rapids--trout, salmon and pike of new varieties and great size, as well as other species.
Beatrice and he, working together, put the largest and darkest of the caves into habitable order. They also prepared, for their own use, a sunny grotto, which they thought could with reasonable labor be made into a comfortable temporary home.
"Though it isn't our own cozy bungalow, and never can be," she remarked rather mournfully, surveying the fireplace of roughly piled stones Allan had built. "Oh, dear, if we only could have had that to live in while--"
He stopped her yearning with a kiss.
"There, there, little girl," he cheered her, "don't be impatient. All in good time we'll have another, garden and sun-dial and everything. All in good time. The more we have to overcome, the more we'll appreciate results, eh? The only really serious matter to consider now is you!"
"Me, Allan? Why, what do you mean? What about me?"
He sat down on the rough-hewn bench of logs that he had fashioned and drew her to him.
"Listen, Beta. This is very serious."
"What, Allan? Has anything happened?"
"No, and nothing must, either. That's what's troubling me now. Our separation, I mean."
"Our--why, what--"
"Don't you see? Can't you understand? We've got to be apart a while. I must go alone--"
"Oh, no, no, Allan! You mustn't; I can't let you!"
"You've got to let me, darling! The machine will only carry, at most, three persons and a little freight. Now if you take the trip back into the Abyss I can only bring one, just one of the Folk back with me. And at that rate you can see for yourself how long it will take to make even a beginning at colonization. I figure three or four days for the round trip, at the inside. If you go we'll be all summer and more getting even twenty-five or thirty colonists here. Whereas, if you can manage to let me do this work alone, we'll have fifty in the caves by October. So you see--"
"You don't want to go and leave me, Allan?"
"God forbid! Shall I abandon the whole attempt and settle down with you here, all alone, and--"
"No, no, no! Not that, Allan!"
"I knew you'd say so. After all, the future of the race means more than our own welfare or comfort or anything. Even our safety has got to be risked for it. So you see--"