…or perhaps she watches too much television.
Let’s see whether any of Mara’s assumptions are correct, though. Will “Backpack Guy” (love that name) succumb to cultural norms and let his guard down, simply because a female happens to be prostrate at his feet? And what is the plan other than knowing where he is? And I love how “wildlife” is represented in panel three- a lovely Mexican Rat! Let’s hope they don’t mistake that for a dog and want to bring it home!
The Daily Trail 
So, Mara thinks awkward, naive, and inexperienced Rusty is capable of deftly inserting a phone into somebody’s backpack (as if this were Mission Impossible) without Backpack Guy noticing!? Maybe the tropical heat is getting to her, since she just spent a few days of “panel time” getting Rusty up to speed on why he has the Rap-a-Tap-a-Dap-a-Ding-Dong-Snap app on his smartphone.
Perhaps, during a recent time when Mara and Rusty were not “in the picture” (or in some time-frame not chronicled by Allen) she instilled enough confidence and wherewithal in the
young lad that Rusty is now capable, not only of slipping objects into a backpack somebody is wearing, but doing it even if the backpack is strapped down.
I’m hoping that the Saturday strip will be a real eye-opener for us all: Rusty ascends from Dork to Dude!