“I think several of my vital organs have jarred loose. Cal, you’re going to go right through that—” The water swooshed up, two glittering curtains on either side of the Land Rover. Libby was drenched when he shot up the opposite bank. “Stream,” she muttered, dragging her soaked hair out of her eyes.

As wet as she was, he gave a delighted whoop and swung around to go through the stream again. She heard her own laughter as the water slapped over her a second time.

“You’re crazy.” They left the ground briefly, then jolted down with a thud. “But you’re not dull.”

“You know, with a few modifications, this would go over big at home. I can’t figure out why they don’t make them anymore. If I came up with a prototype I could send my credit rating through the ozone.”

“You’re not taking it with you. I still have fourteen payments to make.”

“Just a thought.” He could have driven for hours. But the air was chill and she was beginning to shiver. Cal circled back.

“Do you know where we are?”

“Sure, about twenty degrees northeast of the ship.” He tugged on her wet hair. “I told you I could navigate. Tell you what, when we get back we’ll take a hot shower. Then we can build a fire and have some of that brandy. Then we can—” He swore and hit the brakes hard. A group of four in hiking gear was a few feet ahead.

“Damn,” Libby muttered. “We hardly ever get anyone this close in so early in the season.” It took only a glance for her to determine that the price tags had hardly been removed from the packs and boots.

“If they hike much farther in that direction, they’ll be on top of the ship.”

Libby swallowed a bubble of panic and smiled as the group approached. “Hello.”

“Well, hi there.” The man, big, solid and fortyish, leaned on the Land Rover. “You’re the first people we’ve seen since morning.”

“We don’t get many hikers up this way.”

“That’s why we picked it. Right, Susie?” He patted a pretty, exhausted-looking woman on the shoulder. Her only answer was a very weary nod. “Rankin. Jim Rankin.” He took Cal’s hand and pumped it. “My wife, Susie and our boys, Scott and Joe.”

“Nice meeting you. Cal Hornblower. Libby Stone.”

“Out four-wheeling it, huh?”

Noting Cal’s blank look, Libby said, “Yes, we were about to head in.”

“Backpacking’s for us.” Jim grinned broadly.

It took less than ten seconds to see that only Jim was enthusiastic about tackling the mountains on foot. That might be an advantage. “How far have you come?”

“Started off from Big Vista. Nice little campground, but too crowded. I wanted to show the wife and boys nature in the rough.”