And then the trapper's rifle exploded, just as the other rifles had done.
The trapper stared at what was left of his weapon in his hand and then turned and ran. Angel said, "You pointed your finger again!"
"No," said Crusoe. "Not this time. I just started to point."
"Maybe it's just the thinkin' about it that does it. Maybe you can do things by thinkin'."
"That's absurd."
"I wonder," said the Professor. "The swamp ahead of us is particularly nasty. We'll have to wade through water and mud at least to our waists. And when I remember how muddy you were when I found you, I have a feeling that you must have wandered through here. Now if we could only dry up the swamp—"
"They tried to do it once," said Angel. "It can't be done."
"But suppose Crusoe were to point his finger at it and think: 'Swamp, dry up.' I wonder what would happen."
They were both staring at Crusoe now, and he said, "Nothing would happen."
"You can't tell," said Angel. "Maybe Professor's right. Maybe it would dry up. Try it and see."