“It’s a shaving kit.”
“I can see that.” He opened it.
“There’s a straight razor, a mug and brush, a comb, and a toothbrush.”
“Yeah.” He scratched his beard again even harder. Then he shrugged. “No lather.” He turned toward the pile of things he’d tossed aside and started to toss it away, too.
“Wait! Here!” Without thinking, she plopped that wonderful little ball of soap into his hand.
His fingers closed around it so quickly she blinked. “Thanks, Smitty.” He tossed it in the air in front of her nose, then snatched it out of midair. “I never even had to ask.” He started laughing, a sound she could only describe as crowing.
She stared at him.
“Think I’ll go take a bath. Arealbath.” He sauntered off toward the stream. “Have fun here, sweetheart.”
She just stared at his back, wanting to slap herself in the forehead.
He began to whistle a tune that sounded suspiciously likeThe Old Gray Mare.
Better yet, she thought, she would like to slaphimin the forehead. He was heading off to bathe with her soap.
Very simply, very easily, he’d outmaneuvered her.
* * *
Hank learneda few thingsabout Smitty that morning as he strolled off to take a bath, casually tossing that ball of soap. She could whip past him, and from right beneath his nose, she could snatch a ball of soap out of midair. She also ran a helluva lot faster than he’d thought she could.
He stopped and watched her race toward a wall of rocks that protected a pool beneath the waterfall. She had her ragged skirt hiked up around her knees, and he had a great view of those long legs.
Hank discovered something else. Smitty jiggled in all the right places.
She looked over her shoulder once as if she had expected him to be right behind her. He waved, then sat down on a rock and waited.
It only took a few minutes for her to poke her head out from behind the rocks.
“I can’t take a bath. I don’t trust you.”
He didn’t say anything, just picked a banana from a nearby plant and began to peel and eat it.
She climbed out from behind the rocks, tucking a toothbrush and the tin of tooth powder back into the pocket of her skirt. She plopped down next to him, and took the ball of soap from her pocket. She held it in one hand and looked at it for a minute. Then she glanced at him. “I don’t suppose you’d give me your word you’ll stay away, will you?”
He finished the banana. “Nope.”
“I didn’t think so.” She stared at the ball of soap with a covetous look. After a minute of silence, she sighed and held out the soap to him. “You win.”
He tossed the banana peel away and took the soap, laughing. “You’re a good loser.”
She watched him laugh. “It figures you’d be a poor winner.” Her tone was resigned. She rested her chin on one hand. “I suppose it was too much to hope that you would accept this without braying like an ass.”
“Never give up hope, Smitty.” He stood and lightly tossed the soap in the air just to tempt her. “A smart woman like yourself should know that.” He started to walk around the rocks but stopped halfway and looked back at her. “And while you’re at it, you might want to hope for a fairy godmother to magically appear. Or a guardian angel. Leprechauns? Maybe even a genie in a magic lamp!” Chuckling, he rounded the rocks, then leaned back out and said, “Or Santa Claus!”
A banana flew past his head.
12
Agood hour later, Hank stood waist deep in a small pool near the base of the waterfall. He’d lathered himself three times. Smitty had been right. This was great.
No routine. No schedule. No guard with a club or a whip waiting to beat him if he thought Hank took a minute too long. He didn’t have to soap up, rinse, and get out before the guard beat the crap out of him.
