"A
couple of changes of everything is stacks," he said encouragingly,
clearing a space for packing. "There's heaps of soap and water at the
station, and things dry here before you can waltz round twice."
Hopefulness is always infectious, and before Mac's cheery optimism the
pile of necessities grew rapidly smaller. Indeed, with such visions of
soap and water and waltzing washerwomen, a couple of changes of
everything appeared absurd luxury. But even optimism can have
disadvantages; for in our enthusiasm we forgot that a couple of cambric
blouses, a cotton dress or two, and a change of skirts, are hardly equal
to the strain of nearly five months constant wear and washing.
The pillow-cases went in, however. Mac settled that difficulty by saying
that "all hands could be put on to pluck birds. The place is stiff with
'em," he explained, showing what a simple matter it would be, after all.
The Maluka turning out two cushions, a large and a smaller one,
simplified matters even more. "A bird in the hand you know," he said,
finding room for them in the swag.
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