Part 22 (2/2)
The boys referred to the ancient variety of sling, rather than the h Scotty was the better shot
Scotty continued, ”Why does a bowshot have to be lethal? You've got some blunt arrows”
The moment the words ”blunt arroere spoken Rick's ear The arrows in the quiver wouldn't do; at that range, with so powerful a bow, even a blunt arrow in the head would kill But if he could soive the arrow a broader and blunter head, so the ireater area, it could stun without killing
”Professor, get the details on when the lookout is changed and anything else that ot an idea that ork, thanks to Scotty's coed around in the rope locker
Hewithin reach There was nothing suitable Disappointed, he went on deck and exa would be ideal, but they didn't have a barrel aboard There was only a fifty-gallon steel drum used as a spare fuel supply If worst came to worst, he could fashi+on a head from a piece of the fender board Then his eyes suddenly fell on the flagstaff astern and he let out a yell of delight
Scotty and Zircon watched as he unshi+pped the staff froilded sphere about the size of a baseball on top Rick tested it anxiously It was glued tightly
”Scotty!” Zircon bellowed ”There's a saw in the tool chest, and I believe I saw a brace and bits”
Both Scotty and Zircon had seen instantly what Rick was after The large, sreater area
Scotty returned in a ot a blunt arrow from the quiver and cut the metal tip off with his knife He bored a hole of the proper size in the base of the ball
The arrow fitted perfectly
Rick tested the balance of the now-ungainly arrow and shook his head
”I' with it”
”Get the bow!” Zircon coh the base of the ball to hold it on the shaft I' a backstop so Rick can practice”
The scientist found a tarpaulin and strung it up like a curtain across the stern At the center of the tarpaulin he pinned a work glove
Rick studied the setup The canvas would give, absorbing the shock of the arrow and allowing it to fall on deck It would be all right He didn't want to chance losing the ball
He consulted with Scotty, and they paced off the approximate distance he would have to shoot, then he cliet the proper elevation Spreading the bow a few tian to practice
The arroas terribly nose heavy, and its whole response to the boas changed At first he missed by two or three feet Then, as he continued to practice, his accuracy began to improve
He stopped after a while and had a coke ”I'll never be able to shoot a norrinned ”Make this shot and you'll never have to shoot again”
By the ti sleep froet Four out of five shots hit the glove Then, nine out of ten were in the pallove from the tarp, and slipped it on
He tucked a folded handkerchief into the glove, then stood with hand outstretched before the tarp ”Hit it,” he invited
”I'll hurt you,” Rick objected
”No My hand will give with the arroant an idea of the impact”