Several minor breakdowns,
disappointments, and vexations were needed before she would see matters
eye to eye with him. And Nick thought himself lucky that, so far, the
Model had not been permanently disabled. Now, if anything happened, he was
ready.
* * * * *
Sealman had the air of slowing down, after an unusually long nonstop run,
to show off his acquaintance with the country. "That great sandy stretch
is the bed of the Santa Ana," said he. "Why, there's so much sand and so
little water mostly, they have to sprinkle the bed to keep it from flyin'
about the landscape, as if 'twas a pile o' feathers. It ain't like the
Oro, where first they found gold, and then, when they thought they'd got
the lot, come across more in the cobbles. Not only that, but by some
scientific process or other--you wouldn't understand if I told you--they
washed the river-bed, so the sand and stones riz. 'Stirrin' up the
alluvial deposits' was what they called it; till they could get hold of
the cobbles again, to crush 'em for road-makin'. Roads was needed bad them
days! And at last they hauled out the mud from the bottom to plaster over
the desert that was here, so oranges and olives and grapes could take to
growin'.
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