ured him.

"Can't wait that long," Rick replied. "I'm going to find a fifty-pound
ray right now."

"Go get your bow," Jan said. "I'll join the others and we'll all spot
for you."

Rick got to his feet and gave Jan a hand up. He went down the catwalk to
the cabin while she went up the ladder to the top deck.

The bow was in the closet. Rick checked the string, then strung the bow
and selected two arrows. He went out on deck and stopped at Scotty's
side. "Looks like a good place. Cruise slow and easy and be ready to
maneuver. If there's a ray there, I want it."

"Okay. Go for broke, Robin Hood. What I can't understand is why you
don't shoot for something edible."

"Can't," Rick said cheerfully. "Edible-type fish don't hang around
waiting for boats to bring bowmen close."

He climbed the rear ladder to the upper deck and joined his family.
Hartson Brant smiled at his son. "Next time we let you go off by
yourself don't get involved in mysteries. Then you won't have to bowhunt
inedible sea animals."

"It's fun," Rick returned. "I'd want to do it even if I could spear
fish. Want to take a shot?"

"I'll take a shot after you've boated your first ray."

"Fair enough," Rick agreed.

Mrs. Brant asked, "Where are we going, Rick?"

He pointed to the peninsula. "Around that land. There's a creek on the
other side called Tilghman Creek. The cruising guide says there's a good
anchorage just inside. If it looks all right, well spend the night
there. If not, we'll go across to the Wye River. Tomorrow we'll go down
the Miles River to the town of St. Michaels and put in supplies."

The scientist smiled at his wife. "It's nice to relax and have our
children do the work and the thinking, isn't it?"

"It's too good to last," Mrs. Brant returned.

Barby and Jan were standing far forward, close to where the cabin top
curved downward to the forward deck. Rick joined them.

"This is fun!" Barby exclaimed. "Rick this houseboat was the best idea
you ever had!"

"We all should have traveled down together," Jan said. "Then the whole
family could have been in on the case of the flying stingaree."

"That will be the day," Barby replied. "When Rick Brant lets us in on
any real adventures, I'll know the world is coming to an end." Her tone
changed suddenly. "Look, we're getting into shallow water. Keep a sharp
lookout!"

Rick went down the ladder to the foredeck and tied his arrowhead to the
fish line wound in the reel on his bo