"I'll hurt you," Rick objected.
"No. My hand will give with the arrow. I want an idea of the impact."
Rick nodded. He nocked the arrow, took a firm stance, and drew. For an instant he held, then loosed smoothly.
The ball smacked into the scientist's hand. The scientist swung lightly with the blow and stood grinning, the ball and its projecting shaft held firmly in his hand.
"A real beanball," Zircon boomed. "It will do, Rick. Now check your equipment and put it away. We have to make plans."
Rick realized the professor had chosen an apt simile when he said beanball. Like a fast ball hurled by a big-league pitcher, the arrow could be caught in the hand, but would knock for a loop anyone it hit in the head. Now all he had to do was shoot straight just one time.
Zircon gathered the boys around him. "Tony says the lookout changes at sundown, and again sometime near dawn. So, if we make our try as soon after dark as possible, we'll have until dawn to return. And this time, there will be no beating to windward with the vinta. We'll take it in as you did last night. But when it's time to leave, Chahda will come after us in the big boat. Meanwhile, we say nothing to Tony and Howard. We'll explain after we've landed."
The Hindu boy looked pained. "I not go?"
Zircon put a hand gently on the boy's wounded shoulder. "You can't climb without opening that shoulder, Chahda. So you're elected to operate the boat. You'll keep your own radio set and we'll call you in when we're ready to be taken off. And when we call, come a-running!"
"That I will do," Chahda promised.