I rather liked hers--Ajor! And she seemed to like mine, for she
repeated it.
We came to the cliffs beside the little river where it empties
into the bay with the great inland sea beyond. The cliffs were
weather-worn and rotted, and in one place a deep hollow ran back
beneath the overhanging stone for several feet, suggesting shelter
for the night. There were loose rocks strewn all about with which
I might build a barricade across the entrance to the cave, and so
I halted there and pointed out the place to Ajor, trying to make
her understand that we would spend the night there.
As soon as she grasped my meaning, she assented with the Caspakian
equivalent of an affirmative nod, and then touching my rifle,
motioned me to follow her to the river. At the bank she paused,
removed her belt and dagger, dropping them to the ground at her
side; then unfastening the lower edge of her garment from the metal
leg-band to which it was attached, slipped it off her left shoulder
and let it drop to the ground around her feet. It was done so
naturally, so simply and so quickly that it left me gasping like
a fish out of water. Turning, she flashed a smile at me and then
dived into the river, and there she bathed while I stood guard
over her. For five or ten minutes she splashed about, and when
she emerged her glistening skin was smooth and white and beautiful.
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