Amy pushed the jib bag through the forward hatch and closed it and hoisted the jib and made her way aft to rein in the jib sheets. The boat heeled over and leaped forward as if it had been kicked in the ass. The water rushed past with a steady hiss. Six knots and change, almost seven.

Amy’s eyes went toward the shoreline. “It’s him.”

Merrill turned to see the car stopped almost directly behind them. “You were right — but he’s got to be in worse shape than I am.”

“Let’s see what I can do for you,” she said. “Maybe that will calm me down.” She took a deep breath as she opened the first-aid kit. “Can you bend forward? I want to pour some peroxide on your shoulder.”

“You smell good.”

“I know, you told me. Open the aspirin.”

“I’m all right.”

“No, for me. I have a headache. Really.”

She never got headaches — didn’t even believe in them. He leaned back so he could look in her eyes. She said “So I took a couple of shots. Forgot to duck, the man said. I’m okay.”

“We’ll talk. I’ll listen, I mean.”

“Later. Let me do this first. You’re going to hurt a lot more than I do.”

“The peroxide ran down his back and began to sting. Then it really stung. She braced the still-open peroxide bottle between two rolls of gauze in the first-aid kit. With the scissors from the kit she cut the leg off his pants and tossed it aside. She was all business and it was a joy to watch her work. She tore open gauze pads. She handed him a tiny bit of cotton. “After I peroxide your leg, I’m going to put that cotton right in the wound so the fibers mix with your blood to help it congeal faster. You’re going to hold these four-by-fours on the wound with the palm of your hand as hard as you can.” She opened a roll of tape and got her knees in front of him. “Ready for some Montana foreplay? I hope so. It would take my mind off things. I’m so glad you’re alive. Get ready to let go of the strap. Do it now.”

She dabbed at the wound with one of the gauze pads as she poured peroxide on it. This stinging was deeper and sharper and seemed to extend the length of his leg. “It’s bleeding less. How does it feel?”

“Like a hole in my leg.”