Ray fished around in the dufflebag for a while, until he withdrew his paw with a shout of glee. A flaregun had been stashed away, loaded and ready for use. The raccoon, in his excitement, accidentally discharged the rescue-pistol, the flare burrowing into the sand, leaving nothing but a smoldering, black ball surrounded by sand. Ray blinked, and collapsed on his knees, staring at the spent flare. The report from the shot, however, carried on the wind.