smudge on her forehead. She wielded the big knife with professional
dexterity. She looked up and saw Bruce, her face lighting instantly and
her lips parting.
'We're having a Hungarian goulash for lunch - bully beef, potatoes and
onions.'
'As of now I am rating you acting second cook without pay.'
'You are too kind,' and she put her tongue out at him. It was a pink
pointed little tongue like a cat's. Bruce felt the old familiar
tightening of his legs and the dryness in his throat as he looked at it.
'Shermaine, the locomotive is damaged beyond repair. It is of no further
use.' He spoke in English.
'It makes a passable kitchen,' she demurred.
'Be serious.' Bruce's anxiety made him irritable. 'We're stranded here
until we think of something.'
'But, Bruce, you are the genius. I
have complete faith in you. I'm sure you'll think of some truly
beautiful idea.' Her face was solemn but she couldn't keep the banter
out of her eyes. 'Why don't you go and ask General Moses to lend you his
transportation?' Bruce's eyes narrowed in thought and the black inverted
curves of his eyebrows nearly touched above the bridge of his nose.
'The food better be good or I'll break you to third cook,' he warned,
clambered down from the cab to the ground and hurried back along the
train.
'Hendry, Sergeant Major, come here, please. I want to discuss something
with you.' They came to join him and he led the way up the ladder into
one of the covered coaches. Hendry dropped on to the bunk and placed his
feet on the washbasin.
'That was a quick one,' he grinned through the coppery stubble of his
beard.
'You're the most uncouth, filthy-mouthed son of a bitch I have ever met,
Hendry,' said Bruce coldly. 'When I get you back to
Elisabethville I'm going to beat you to pulp before I hand you over to
the military authority for murder.'
'My, my,' laughed Hendry. 'Big talker, hey? Curry, big, big talker.'
'Don't make me kill you now -
don't do that, please. I still need you.'
'What's with you and that
Frenchy, hey? You love it or something? You love it, or you just fancy a
bit of that fat little arse? It can't be her titties - she ain't got
much there, not even a handful each side.' Bruce started for him, then
changed his mind and swung round to stare out of the window.
His voice was strangled when he spoke.
'I'll make a bargain with you, Hendry. Until we get out of this you keep
off my back and I'll keep off yours. When we reach Msapa
Junction the truce is off. You can do and say whatever you like and, if
I don't kill you for it, I'll try my level best to see you hanged for
murder.'
'I'm making no bargain with you or nobody, Curry. I play along until it
suits me, and I won't give you no warning when it doesn't suit me to
