"Three!" and Justus heaved, his effort, along with Constance's, caused the rocks to shift, and all in a few short instants, the baby moose's foot came free, Justus pushed up with his shoulder, baby scrambled away, Justus slipped on the same algae that Constance had earlier, and, arms flailing, he fell backward, only just catching a glimpse of Baby Moose running off into the trees beside Mama Moose, before water washed over his head.
In a heartbeat, he sat up, shaking water from his eyes, looking around frantically. "Constance!"
Constance was looking down into the water and where the baby's leg was caught in the wet rocks. she didn't actually concentrate on Justus, just tensely awaited his signal.
"THREE!"
And they both then heaved to move that rock, as hard as they could. It moved, the moose foot swung out! Yes! Justus shouldered the creature to allow it to leave the unfamiliar rocks for solid ground and it raced away. Success! As the baby raced toward mama, Constance's estactic joy was interrupted when Justus fell backward also and splashed full into the cold river water.
In a heartbeat, he sat up, shaking water from his eyes, looking around frantically. "Constance!"
"I'm right here, you get water in your eyes in your little bath?" she grinned.
"What I don't understand is why they don't build some steps along this bank to better enable folk to get in and out,"she stated as if she was dead serious about that.
Pretty much completely soaked through, Justus looked up at the young woman and frowned. "Now, why'd anyone do that?" he asked, taking her seriously. "Ain't like no one's comin' down here. Too far off th' road, an' all them brambles."
Sighing, he shook his head and struggled to his feet, then slogged out of the creek. "Ya really think this'd make a good swimmin' hole?" Skeptical, he looked back at the water, then to Constance. "Not like it's big enough fer much swimmin', an' later in th' year, I reckon it's mostly dried out."
It occurred to him that this may have ruined their picnic, depending on Constance. She might want to go home and get cleaned up. As for himself, as long as he was with her, he didn't care how wet he was, and besides, it wouldn't effect the food at all!
"So, how 'bout we find a place ta have that nice picnic?" This wasn't a nice place!
It turned out he seemed to take her little attempt at humor seriously?
"Now, why'd anyone do that?" he asked, "Ain't like no one's comin' down here. Too far off th' road, an' all them brambles."
"Justus..." she was about to enlighten him but he wasn't done as both of them now sloshed out of the water.
"Ya really think this'd make a good swimmin' hole?" Justus looked back at the water, then to Constance. "Not like it's big enough fer much swimmin', an' later in th' year, I reckon it's mostly dried out."
"No, no I do not. That was an attempted joke on my part, guess it fell flat," she sighed.
"Though I simply cannot believe there is no good place for folks to take a swim in a beautiful territory such as this," she added. The water made her layered clothing feel like it weighed a ton.
"So, how 'bout we find a place ta have that nice picnic?"he now asked. So he still wanted this picnic?
Truth was she did too, for one thing she was hungry. However...
"I am not gonna sit like this and picnic. Alright you're a cowboy, I take it you can make a fire? Because we need to dry these clothes out, a fire will have to do the job. Then while they're drying, we can eat some. And you can tell me all about yourself, your childhood, how you became a cowpoke, what are your dreams for the future. I'm anticipating it will be some tale," she declared.
"I can make a fire, sure," Justus assured her as he led the way back to the road, wondering how a fire was going to help. But then Constance suggested taking off their clothes and hanging them by the fire? But...
"Reckon we can do that." Because, what red-blooded boy didn't want to know the framework that dwelt under all the skirts and petticoats a gal wore, and since she was offering...
Of course, that meant he...
"Ya don't mean ta peel off everything?" He had his union suit, not that he was real keen on being seen in that. "Plenty'a sun ta dry us out, too."
Mule was where they left him, munching on some tall grass, and barely offered a look at them.
"Should we build a fire here, or find someplace more off th' road?" After all, chances were good that someone might pass them here, and see her in, well, whatever she was still in!
"I can make a fire, sure," Justus assured her as he led the way back to the road.
Well, that was a relief then Constance smiled as she trudged along in this heavy water laden clothing. She then explained why she wanted the fire, it was certainly not for cooking.
"Reckon we can do that," he seemed willing enough.
Good, she was glad he wasn't some prude. Actually she imagined he had probably seen naked hookers, even had sex with them. She had heard lots of cowpokes were regular visitors to the brothels. She did not judge him for it. Her father had himself a mistress and she was quite certain her mother was aware of it but apparently nothing was said. Men had their needs. Besides, it was not like they were going to do the deed here and now. She certainly did not want that.
Wait, maybe he wasn't so willing?
"Ya don't mean ta peel off everything? Plenty'a sun ta dry us out, too," he now said.
"You take off as much or as little as you want, Justus. As for me, it's all coming off. And it won't go back on til they're dry. I hope that does not offend your sensibilities. Remember I am the one who came out here for a nice picnic lunch not wrestling a moose in a river," she countered, her tone of voice more amused than angered though.
"Should we build a fire here, or find someplace more off th' road?"he now asked.
"Yes, someplace away from the road makes the most sense," she nodded.
"Oh, well, yeah, sure..." Was she serious that she was really going to get all nikked? He certainly didn't think he was going to do that. Not that he didn't look good, but it just wasn't, well, proper! "Ain't far, we can walk." He gathered Mule's reins, hooked the picnic basket over the saddle horn and started strolling along the road.
"So, um...ya got nikked fer lots 'a men?" Somehow, she hadn't struck him as that sort of gal. Now, Miss Sally...sure, he could imagine her tossing off her clothes with glee for no reason at all. "Hey..." he had a sudden thought, brought on by the squishy boots he was wearing,
"how's yer feet? I can lift ya into th' saddle if ya need."
Whereever he was taking her now, he assured her they could walk. She didn't mind the walk, her job kept her up on her feet for long hours. The only annoying part was being soaked. It was like she had suddenly gained thirty pounds of very unwanted weight.
"So, um...ya got nikked fer lots 'a men?" he suddenly asked. Was he serious?
"No, you're the first, no one else I ever been with got me half drowned," Constance pointed out.
"But when I was younger........like eleven or so and right up til...oh about 15, 16, we would swim in this one river. We being me, a few relatives including my brother and a few friends - both girls and boys - would all swim naked. It was no big deal, none of us fussed about it. It didn't turn me into a hooker or, for that fact, I will have you know I am still a virgin. So let's not consign me to the eternal fires too fast you know,"she let him know."
"Honestly I think you are making too much out of this to be honest."
"Hey..." Justus suddenly asked, "how's yer feet? I can lift ya into th' saddle if ya need."
"No, don't bother. I can endure, what I want from you, need from you is a nice fire, thank you," she made that point perfectly clear now.
"Yes, ma'am." Justus forced a smile, wondering if the date was pretty much over. Constance seemed pretty upset, and he wasn't sure if it was because he'd decided to save Mortimer, or because he was shy of getting naked with her. Didn't much matter, they were stuck together until their clothes dried,and after their picnic, so he may as well make the best of it.
"Here," he murmured, turning off the main road onto a little track that led to a small clearing with some rocks that were partially in the sun. "This'll do real good," he declared, thinking that it might be romantic under different circumstances.
"How 'bout ya get th' picnic set up an' I'll get th' fire goin'?" After tying Mule's reins to a tree branch, he loosened the saddle then got the picnic supplies to give to Constance.
"Here," he murmured, turning off the main road onto a little track that led to a small clearing with some rocks that were partially in the sun. "This'll do real good," he declared.
"Yes, it should do nicely, I agree," Constance nodded, "So which one are you? Lewis or Clark?" Again some attempted humor but God only knew if he'd catch on.
"How 'bout ya get th' picnic set up an' I'll get th' fire goin'?" After tying Mule's reins to a tree branch, he loosened the saddle then got the picnic supplies to give to Constance.
"Yes, I'll put all my waitress skills to use, don't worry," she smiled.
She had brought a passel of corn dodgers she had baked herself. And then had chopped up a small roast chicken into parts. It was cold now but cold chicken was really quite delicious, least in her opinion. Besides Justus was a cowpoke, they probably liked pretty much everything when it came to food. He was rather gangly but she still figured he was a good eater given his career. Plus she had one other paper wrapped packet, not very big or thick, it was going to be a surprise for dessert so she was determined not to unwrap, just set it aside. The picnic blanket was large enough for both to sit on it opposite each other and the food awaited in the center. She also had secured the use of a canteen and had filled it with sarsaparilla .
"How about that? Look satisfactory to you, Justus?" she stood up satisfied herself at least.
Well, no use putting it off any longer, she wanted to get out of this heavy soaked clothing so once more sat down on the grass and removed her shoes then stockings.