“Jest gather the things up quick,” he said authoritatively, “an’ we’ll get busy.”
And as Scipio heaped up the necessary articles for the bath on the table, he looked on with the keenest interest. Finally the little man paused beside the heap, holding in his hand the box of water-softener, which he was eyeing somewhat doubtfully. Bill’s eyes still twinkled.
“Wot’s that?” he demanded in his savage way, as though he had never seen the box before.
“That? Why, that’s for bathin’,” said Scipio doubtfully. “Y’see, it’s a fixin’ swell ladies in Noo York an’ such places use for makin’ their baths soft an’ dandy. Sunny brought it along last night. He guessed it would be elegant for the kids. Y’see, his mother sent it a present to him. He didn’t reckon he had use for it, seein’ he took his bath in the creek every mornin’. He guessed natural water was best for him.”
Bill snorted.
“Sunny’s a bright lad,” he said, while Toby softly exploded with laughter in the doorway.
But the gambler was bent on the purpose in hand, and promptly dismissed the loafer’s fairy-story from his mind.
“Here, get around and bear a hand,” he cried, indicating the pile on the table. “You, Toby, quit laffin’ an’ git a holt on them clean laundry. An’ say, don’t you muss ’em any. Sunny, you best pile up them washin’ fixin’s––that hand-scrubber, the soap, that wash-flannel an’ the towels. Guess that’s the nighest you’ll ever come to bathin’ yourself. Sandy Joyce ken carry the hot water, an’, if Zip’s yaller pup gets around, see you don’t scald him any. Guess I’ll handle these yer dippers. That way Zip’ll be free to take the kids along. After they’re bathed they ken set around in the sun, while Zip gives ’em a real elegant Bible talk.”
The whole thing was simplicity itself in the capable hands of a man of Bill’s energy. But for his advent the bath might have been delayed until the water on the cookstove had boiled away. What with Sandy’s love of debate and Sunny’s indolence, the visit of these men might have been prolonged for hours. As it was, in five minutes after Bill’s appearance upon the scene the cortége was ready to set out for the water’s edge; and not only ready, but more than willing to submit the all-unconscious twins to the combination of their inexperienced efforts in matters ablutionary. The one saving clause for the poor little creatures was the presence of their father and a man of practical intelligence such as the gambler. How they might have fared at the hands of the others is a matter best not contemplated too closely.
At a word from Wild Bill the procession set out. Scipio headed it, with a child clinging to each hand, doddling along at his side all blissfully unconscious, but delighted at going whither their elders led them. Vada babbled with delight, and kept up a fire of chattering questions in a truly feminine manner, while little Jamie, stolid but no less joyous, devoured everything with hungry, thoughtful eyes, and punctuated his sister’s remarks with characteristic grunts, and an occasional emphatic ejaculation and protest at the yellow pup, who would lick his dirty legs.