`` very good , '' he said , and reached for the bottle ; the other captains slowly sank back down as well . seth lay on his stomach in the snow and mud . and for her , equally precious , she had her husband . many of them had made a point of coming over to say how much they enjoyed her books . you 're off the hook , man . all three of them could use a hot meal and maybe even a nights sleep in a motel bed . 