Straight Arrow 9
Straight Arrow-Indian Bow Making
Select a dried piece of maple, ash or walnut. It is advised to use a mill cut wood 2×2 inches by 5 feet to save time. Draw and carve out the shape of it using a knife or other weapon, as shown in the picture. Then round off all edges and smooth surfaces using sandpaper. Wrap the grip area with raw hide.
Straight Arrow-The Claim Jumpers
Characters
Steve Adams: Owner of cattle farm, straight arrow
Packy: Steve’s close associate
Parson: prospector
Jake: thief
Steve and Packy were riding on their horses when they saw three smoke puffs in the sky. They knew it’s a warning of danger. Steve and Packy rushed towards that place. They found a wounded man whom they gave water to drink. When he came into consciousness he told he is a prospector and has a gold mine, four men chased him and wounded him for his gold mine. Parson gave straight arrow a bunch of gold from his mine after which he fainted again. Steve and Packy took him to the doctor. People were talking about killing him and stealing his property as he was very rich. Steve and Packy were discussing this matter when they saw some people telling that Comanche are fighting them. Steve was amazed because as far as he knew all the Comanche had gone to hunting, many miles away. He went to the sundown valley to transform into straight arrow. Then he inspected the place with Packy. He figured out that the people telling them Comanche are not real Comanche as their foot prints and not of Comanche moccasins but of white men boot. Straight arrow followed the trial made by foot prints and got the four thieves. He was sure these were the people who wounded parson. The four men attacked straight arrow but Packy saved him. Then straight arrow and Packy again followed them. They found the four men going towards Parsons gold mine. Straight arrow went ahead and tried to stop them. When they attacked him, straight arrow managed to save himself and caught the four men with the help of Packy. Then they took them to sheriff and showed the gold pouch of parson and gold stolen by these people. The gold examiner checked them, it was the same gold. The four men were put into the jail. Parson recovered and found his gold mine safe and sound.
The Fight with a Grizzly
A fight between Hugh glass and a grizzly bear is among greatest records. Hugh glass came across a grizzly in a party of fur trappers and hunters in 1824. The grizzly was looking after its cubs and suddenly it jumped over Hugh glass. It caught Hugh so tightly. Hugh took out his knife and killed it. When people saw both of them lying on ground they considered both dead. His companions left him there thinking he had died, but he was alive, he was in come for so many days. His back was ripped by grizzly so he crawled all the way to Kiowa. He ate only berries and drank only water these days. After so many hardships he reached fort. He was given good medical care and he recovered soon to get back to fur trapping. It is true that “mountain men are tough!”
Straight Arrow-The Trail of Flying Cloud
Characters
Steve Adams: Owner of cattle farm, straight arrow
Packy: Steve’s close associate
Grey rock: chief of Comanche
Flying cloud: a Comanche
Choctaw charley: thief
Bandy: Choctaw’s men
Steve and Packy observed a white man beating flying cloud, a Comanche. Steve stepped forward and saved him. He asked the chief grey rock why flying cloud wasn’t fighting back in his defense. Grey rock told him that he is coward and hence they have abandoned him from the Comanche village. Soon Steve and Packy found Choctaw talking to flying cloud. Packy was afraid he’ll make flying cloud an outlaw too. Steve went to sundown valley to transform into straight arrow. On his way back, Packy told him he was too late, flying cloud has went with Choctaw and his men. They both rushed to find him. On the other hand Choctaw was making plan with his men and flying cloud to bring wagon train to dry bone gulch by setting prairies on fire. He ordered flying cloud to set the fire but he refused as he knew it was wrong. Choctaw set prairie on fire, tied flying cloud and left him there to die. Then He and bandy moved forward to rob the wagon train at dry bone gulch. When straight arrow and Packy saw the pony of flying cloud, they made efforts to find him. Straight arrow was successful in finding him. He untied him and asked him to go to dry bone gulch and warn the people of wagon train about these bandits. Flying could was afraid of fire but straight arrows words motivated him and he successfully did the job. When Choctaw and his men arrived at the dry bone gulch they were surprised to see that wagon trains were already ready for a war. They initiated the war but straight arrow and flying cloud saved attacked them and saves the wagon train. He tied them for sheriff to put them in jail. The people of wagon train were grateful to both of them for their help. Straight arrow took flying cloud back to grey rock and told him that flying cloud was successful in warrior trial. Flying cloud felt very proud and was happy to get him back in his village.
Straight Arrow-Apache Terror!
Characters
Steve Adams: Owner of cattle farm, straight arrow
Packy: Steve’s close associate
Siwash: scoundrel
Swift hawk: chief of pueblos
Wilkins: scoundrel
Siwash and Wilkins found copper strip underneath the ground. It was enough to make their fortune brighter and luxurious. Siwash claimed that his geological device was telling the copper ore is present in large amount under the pueblo’s village. So Siwash and Wilkins went to meet swift hawk, the chief of Wilkins to buy their land. Chief Swift hawk welcomed them warmly but when he came to know they are planning to take their land, he got angry and asked them to leave. Siwash and Wilkins had another idea. They bribed apache, the enemies of pueblos and prepared them for a war against pueblos. The smoke clouds from pueblo’s village gave hint to Steve and Packy of upcoming war. Steve transformed into straight arrow and went to apache village. There he came to know that they’ll fight against pueblos the next morning. Straight arrow hurried to the pueblo’s village and informed swift hawk about the war. The next day, straight arrow and pueblos were prepared for the war. When apache came, they followed straight arrow s orders and threw fired mud and pitch balls onto them. Then they started throwing boulders onto them. Apache were defeated and they moved back to their village. Siwash and Wilkins stopped remaining apache and told them they haven’t yet lost. The pueblos thought they’ve won; they left their fort to celebrate. Meanwhile Siwash, Wilkins and remaining apache took over the fort. When pueblos arrived, they were tricked by the same strategies pueblos had used to drive apache away, they regret why they left their fort. Soon straight arrow arrived and helped them get their fort. He ordered pueblos to make log platforms. Then he asked them to lift it up and move towards the fort. When they reached there, the platforms protected them from the war attacks of apache and helped the pueblos climb up their fort. The pueblos fought with them meanwhile straight arrow dealt with Siwash and Wilkins. They drive them out of their fort with the warning of never returning back.
Straight Arrow-Bow Stringing and Bow Care
Once you’re done with making a bow, cover the grip area with tape and give the whole bow a coat of shellac. Then attach strings as shown in the picture. Leave a loop on one end to hang it. Straight arrow uses his left hand to hold the bow and slips the loop into the notch. The other end of bow touches his right foot. When the bow is not it use, unstring it and hang it with its loop. It is preferred to use leatherette leather or canvas or other material to make a bow care.
Semi thick oil paints can be used to make designs on the bow care.