The command was not only familiar on the occasion of his visits, but evidently anticipated, for she appeared in a moment with a trayful of bottles. "Bad habit of yours, Albert, teetotalism ... makes the brain cloudy ... insidious." He took a long drink. "Very little real bourbon left ... European imitation vile ... learning to like Holland gin." He drank again. "To get back to the business of making plans, General," I urged gently. "Not one of those people getting worried about the Grass?" "Not worried. Just trying to look ahead. I can't afford to be caught napping." "Well, well," he said, "can't pull another South American this time." "No, no--and besides, I'm not concerned with money." "Now, Albert, don't tell me youve finally got enough." "This is not the time to be avaricious," I reproved him. "If the Grass continues to spread--and there seems to be little doubt it will--" "All of New Zealand's North Island was finished this morning," he interrupted. "I heard it myself; anyway, that's the point. As the Grass advances there will be new hordes of refugees--" He was certainly in an impatient mood this morning, for he interrupted me again. "New markets for concentrates," he suggested. I looked at him pityingly. Was the old man's mind slipping? I wondered if it would be necessary to replace him. "General," I said gently, "with rare exceptions these people will have nothing but worthless currency." "Goods. Labor." "Have you seen the previous batches of refugees foresighted enough to get out any goods of value before starting off? And as for labor, all our workers are now so heavily subsidized by the dole that to cut wages another cent--" "Ha'penny," corrected General Thario. "Centime if you like. --would be merely to increase our taxes." "Well, well," he said. "I see I have been hasty. What did you have in mind, Albert?" "Retrenchment. Cut production; abandon the factories in the immediate path of the Grass. Fix on reasonably safe spots to store depots of the finished concentrates, others for raw materials. Or perhaps they might be combined." "What about the factories?" "Smaller," I said. "Practically portable." "Hum." He frowned. "You do intend to do business on a small scale." "Minute," I confirmed. "What about the mines? The steelmills, the oilfields, the airplane and automobile factories? The shipyards?" "Shut them down," I ordered. "Ruthlessly. Except maybe a few in England." "The countries where theyre located will grab them." "There isnt a government in existence who would dare touch anything belonging to Consolidated Pemmican. If any should come into existence our individualistic friends would take care of the situation." "Pay gangsters to overturn governments?" "They would hardly be legitimate governments. Anyway, a man has a right to protect his property." "Albert," he complained querulously, "youre condemning civilization to death."