The bay at Tumbledown Dick was narrow and deep, cut between fingers of cliff walls. This little beach, sandy and shelving, would make it ideal for swimming. Way up, almost over their heads, the cliff leaned over, and trees grew, as though from the sky. Joshua said, "Do you have your watch?"
"Yes," said de Bouille.
"I'll meet you here, at three, then, for a swim, if you cannot find us in the forest." As he spoke he wondered at his use of that term forest, and yet it was the one that came to mind, for this windward side of Stasia was a deep wilderness, rocky, overgrown, full of tiny little bays, on which the surf pounded. Over to his extreme right, a small stream plunged down the side of the hill. He picked up the musket, which he had laid carefully across his lap, and slung it over his shoulder and stood up. He helped Lucie to her feet. He stood there a moment, and she said:
"You have plans, then?"
"Yes," he said.
He wasn't looking far into the future. He knew only that there were certain things that must be done, and it might take some time. As they walked away from de Bouille, who waved goodbye, and struck down the beach, Joshua said:
"First I want to follow that little stream. If we could find a place to camp near fresh sweet water, it would be best."
"Oui," she said. "Then I could bathe."
He smiled. "You won't stay here long, Lucie. Only long enough for the hue and cry to die down, and then I can sneak you to madam some night."
He had no way of knowing this was going to be impossible. "We
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have plenty of powder and shot," he went on, "but I want to try and fashion a bow and arrows, and shoot some of this game. I used to do that when I was a boy, in Virginia."
She looked up at him. "Did you, sir? You never say anything about yourself." She eyed him a little. "Speak more of it, please," she asked.
He smiled. "You're a sweet wench. There's nothing to tell except we used to play Indians. I used to be good with a bow and arrow. We"ll see if I've lost track of it. We have to eat, you know."
She said gravely, "I had not truly had time to think much."
"No," said Joshua thoughtfully. "As a matter of fact, neither did I. I think you had better remove your shoes and stockings and tuck your dress up, and we'll wade in and out of this stream. Walking in the water will be easier in some places."
He sat down himself, and she sat at his side. She removed her shoes, stuffed the stockings in them, and tied the laces so they swung over her shoulders. Then she bethought herself. Finally, face puckered and intent, she said, "I have it!" She pulled a hairpin out of her hair, and gathering her skirt tight around her knees, thrust the pin through the material. Joshua nodded with approval.
"Fine," he said.
The water was cold. It felt good. They waded in and out, climbing upward always. In less than half an hour they reached a tiny pool, surrounded with leaning pines. To the right was a level piece of ground, sprinkled deep in pine needles.
"Excellent," said Joshua warmly, not believing such luck. He stepped out of the water, and looked around. An almost perpendicular hill went up, about thirty feet away. He walked over toward it. "There might be caves," he explained, his voice floating back to Lucie.
She could hear him thrashing through the thick growth of the hill, and he disappeared from sight. After about fifteen minutes she began to grow apprehensive. She could hear nothing, and she got to her feet.
She started to walk in the direction in which he had gone, when she suddenly heard his voice, coming from the hillside. "Come here and look," he called.
In relief, she ran in the direction of his voice, pushing through the bushes and trees; suddenly she was face to face with him; he was pleased.
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"Look," he said proudly, indicating a cave in the side of the hill. "It's dry and warm," he announced. "I've been in."
"That's why I didn't hear you, then," she murmured, looking into the cave uncertainly.
He said, "You weren't frightened, were you?"
"A little," she admitted. She amended the statement. "Just a very little!"
He did not smile. He said, "If I ever leave you again in a certain place, do not leave it! You would get lost. Wait for me." He swung the musket off his shoulder and unfastened the gleaming bayonet. "You can sit down, while I cut this growth away to let the sun in, for dryness. It will take some time."
Sun slanted through the pines. Joshua took off his coat and shirt, hanging them on a tree limb. He worked fast; the sweat began to pour off him. But gradually he cleared the thick bushes back. Lucie had gone into the cave to explore. It was not large, but it was dry and warm. Joshua said, in between sawing away at the plant branches:
"In the tropics it is imperative we find a dry place."
"I see," said Lucie.
"I think you had better start gathering pine needles, for a bed of sorts. I'm trying to think what you could use to carry them in, I guess my coat would be best. Take it over there." He gestured with the heavy knife.
He had already cut quite a swath toward the little level plot alongside the pool. "Mon Dieu, you are wonderful," Lucie said simply.
Joshua paused a moment to look at her. "There's a smudge on your nose."
She felt for it, brushing her fingers against her nose.
He grinned. "Are you hungry?"
She shook her head. "I gather needles."
For more than an hour she passed to and fro, from the cave to the pine grove, while the sound of Joshua's sawing and crackling filled the air. They spoke little, each intent on his own task, but occasionally their eyes would meet as both paused a moment to straighten up and stretch a little.
"I'll be stiff," Joshua said ruefully. "It's been a long time since I played Indian."
"I remember you said you were thirty."
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He raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you'd better forget the rest of that conversation. I may retract it."
"Oh?" She did not quite understand, but pushed the curling hair off her forehead and regarded him. "Well, m'sieur, I am finished." She went to the door of the cave, and disappeared for a moment. Then she stuck her head out. "Come see," she called.
He laid down the knife gratefully and came over to her side. She threw out her hands. "Voila!"
"Merveilleux," Joshua said, going over to the thick bed of pine needles. He lay down carefully, stretching out. "Why, it's fine," he said. "Soft! Aly lord, it's thick; there must be a billion—two billions!"
"Ten billions," said Lucie. "I'm sure. I'll be stiff too."
"Come here and try it," he invited.
She drew a deep breath and looked at his recumbent figure. "I do not know," she said. "Perhaps—"
"Are you addressing me or yourself?" Joshua wanted to know.
"You will grow a beard," she said next.
"True," said Joshua, laughing. "I'm sure I haven't the faintest idea what is going on in your head, and you don't either."
"Yes, I do," said Lucie. "I should make another bed."
He laughed outright. "In one cave? Unnecessary, wench." He got to his feet and came to her. "We won't talk about it now. I'll feed you first."
Lucie turned away and started out the door. Joshua patted her backside, and she turned around quickly. "Now I'll make a bow and arrow," he said solemnly.
But first he went over to the pool and splashed water and stuck his whole head and shoulders in the cool water, Dripping, he emerged, and told her to sit down under the pines and watch. "After you have rested a while, you can dig a little firepit, which I shall line with stones," he said, whittling away on what was going to be an arrow.
"Qui," said Lucie. She looked at him and then down at her hands in her lap.
It was almost three when de Bouille splashed through the stream, and stood in the little clearing. He was sniffing appreciatively, for Lucie was turning a browning bird on an improvised spit. A lazy fire burned in the stone-lined pit, and two big stones edged it to support