the.lost.world-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


f　the　road　system。
　　　　〃Pretty　slick；〃　Malcolm　said。　But　to　Thorne；　he　seemed　tense。
　　　　〃I've　got　it；〃　Eddie　said；　on　the　radio。
　　　　Malcolm　said；　〃He　can　see　the　same　thing？〃
　　　　〃Yes。　On　his　dashboard。〃
　　　　〃But　I　don't　have　the　CPS；〃　Eddie　said；　anxiously。　〃Isn't　it　working？〃
　　　　〃You　guys；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Give　it　a　minute。　It's　reading　the　optical。　Waystations　are　ing　up。〃
　　　　There　was　a　cone…shaped　Global　Positioning　Sensor　mounted　in　the　roof　of　the　trailer。　Taking　radio　data　from　orbiting　navigation　satellites　thousands　of　miles　overhead；　the　GPS　could　calculate　the　position　of　the　vehicles　within　a　few　yards。　In　a　moment；　a　flashing　red　X　appeared　on　the　map　of　the　island。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Eddie　said；　on　the　radio。　〃I　got　it。　Looks　like　a　road　leading　out　of　the　clearing　to　the　north。　That　where　we're　going？〃
　　　　〃I'd　say　so；〃　Thorne　said。　According　to　the　map；　the　road　twisted　several　miles　across　the　interior　of　the　island；　before　finally　reaching　a　place　where　all　the　roads　seemed　to　meet。　There　was　the　suggestion　of　buildings　there；　but　it　was　hard　to　be　sure。
　　　　〃Okay；　Doc。　Here　we　go。〃
　　　　Eddie　drove　past　him；　and　took　the　lead。　Thorne　stepped　on　the　accelerator；　and　the　trailer　hummed　forward；　following　the　Explorer。
　　　　Beside　him；　Malcolm　was　silent；　fiddling　with　a　small　notebook　puter　on　his　lap。　He　never　looked　out　the　window。
　　　　In　a　few　moments；　they　had　left　the　clearing　behind；　and　were　moving　through　dense　jungle。　Thorne's　panel　lights　flashed：　the　vehicle　switched　to　its　batteries。　There　wasn't　enough　sunlight　ing　through　the　trees　to　power　the　trailer　any　more。　They　drove　on。
　　　　〃How　you　doing；　Doc？〃　Eddie　said。　〃You　holding　charge？〃
　　　　〃Just　fine；　Eddie。〃
　　　　〃He　sounds　nervous；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃Just　worried　about　the　equipment。〃
　　　　〃The　hell；〃　Eddie　said。　〃I'm　worried　about　me。〃
　　　　Although　the　road　was　overgrown　and　in　poor　condition　they　made　good　progress。　After　about　ten　minutes；　they　came　to　a　small　stream；　with　muddy　banks。　The　Explorer　started　across　it；　then　stopped。　Eddie　got　out；　stepping　over　rocks　in　the　water；　walking　back。
　　　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　　〃I　saw　something；　Doc。〃
　　　　Thorne　and　Malcolm　got　out　of　the　trailer；　and　stood　on　the　banks　of　the　stream。　They　heard　the　distant　cries　of　what　sounded　like　birds。　Malcolm　looked　up；　frowning。
　　　　〃Birds？〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　Malcolm　shook　his　head；　no。
　　　　Eddie　bent　over；　and　plucked　a　strip　of　cloth　out　of　the　mud。　It　was　dark…green　Gore…Tex；　with　a　strip　of　leather　sewn　along　one　edge。　〃That's　from　one　of　our　expedition　packs；〃　he　said。
　　　　〃The　one　we　made　for　Levine？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　Doc。〃
　　　　〃You　put　a　sensor　in　the　pack？〃　Thorne　asked。　They　usually　sewed　location　sensors　inside　their　expedition　packs。
　　　　〃Yes。〃
　　　　〃May　I　see　that？〃　Malcolm　asked。　He　took　the　strip　of　cloth　and　held　it　up　to　the　light。　He　fingered　the　torn　edge　thoughtfully
　　　　Thorne　uncapped　a　small　receiver　from　his　belt。　It　looked　like　an　oversized　pager。　He　stared　at　the　liquid…crystal　readout。　〃I'm　not　getting　any　signal。。。。〃
　　　　Eddie　stared　at　the　muddy　bank。　He　bent　over　again。　〃Here's　another　piece　of　cloth。　And　another；　Seems　like　the　pack　was　ripped　into　shreds；　Doc。〃
　　　　Another　bird　cry　floated　toward　them；　distant；　unworldly。　Malcolm　stared　off　in　the　distance；　trying　to　locate　its　source。　And　then　he　heard　Eddie　say；　〃Uh…oh。　We　have　pany。〃

There　were　a　half…dozen　bright…green　lizard…like　animals；　standing　in　a　group　near　the　trailer。　They　were　about　the　size　of　chickens；　and　they　chirped　animatedly。　They　stood　upright　on　their　hind　legs；　balancing　with　their　tails　straight　out。　When　they　walked；　their　heads　bobbed　up　and　down　in　nervous　little　jerks；　exactly　like　a　chicken。　And　they　made　a　distinctive　squeaking　sound；　very　reminiscent　of　a　bird。　Yet　they　looked　like　lizards　with　long　tails。　They　had　quizzical；　alert　faces；　and　they　cocked　their　heads　when　they　looked　at　the　men。
　　　　Eddie　said；　〃What　is　this；　a　salamander　convention？〃
　　　　The　green　lizards　stood；　watched。　Several　more　appeared；　from　beneath　the　trailer；　and　from　the　foliage　nearby。　Soon　there　were　a　dozen　lizards；　watching　and　chattering。
　　　　〃pys；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃Propsognathus　triassicus；　is　the　actual　name。〃
　　　　〃You　mean　these　are　…　〃
　　　　〃Yes。　They're　dinosaurs。〃
　　　　Eddie　frowned；　stared。　〃I　didn't　know　they　came　so　small；〃　he　said　finally。
　　　　〃Dinosaurs　were　mostly　small；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃People　always　think　they　were　huge；　but　the　average　dinosaur　was　the　size　of　a　sheep；　or　a　small　pony。〃
　　　　Eddie　said；　〃They　look　like　chickens。〃
　　　　〃Yes。　Very　bird…like。〃
　　　　〃Is　there　any　danger？〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　〃Not　really；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃They're　small　scavengers；　like　jackals。
　　　　They　feed　on　dead　animals。　But　I　wouldn't　get　close。　Their　bite　is　mildly　poisonous。〃
　　　　〃I'm　not　getting　close；〃　Eddie　said。　〃They　give　me　the　creeps。　It's　like　they're　not　scared。〃
　　　　Malcolm　had　noticed　that；　too。　〃I　imagine　it's　because　there　haven't　been　any　human　beings　on　this　island。　These　animals　don't　have　any　reason　to　fear　man。〃
　　　　〃Well；　let's　give　them　a　reason；〃　Eddie　said。　He　picked　up　a　rock。
　　　　〃Hey！〃　Malcolm　said。　〃Don't　do　that！　The　whole　idea　is　…　〃
　　　　But　Eddie　had　already　thrown　the　rock。　It　landed　near　a　cluster　of　pys；　and　the　lizards　ducked　away。　But　the　others　hardly　moved。　A　few　of　them　hopped　up　and　down；　showing　agitation。　But　the　group　stayed　where　they　were。　They　just　chittered；　and　cocked　their　heads。
　　　　〃Weird；〃　Eddie　said。　He　sniffed　the　air。　〃You　notice　that　smell？〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃They　have　a　distinctive　odor。〃
　　　　〃Rotten；　is　more　like　it；〃　Eddie　said。　〃They　smell　rotten。　Like　something　dead。　And　you　ask　me；　it's　not　natural；　animals　that　don't　show　fear　like　that。　What　if　they　have　rabies　or　something？〃
　　　　〃They　don't；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　　　　〃Because　only　mammals　carry　rabies。〃　But　even　as　he　said　it；　he　wondered　if　that　was　right。　Warm…blooded　animals　carried　rabies。　Were　the　pys　warm…blooded？　He　wasn't　sure。
　　　　There　was　a　rustling　sound　from　above。　Malcolm　looked　up　at　the　canopy　Of　trees　overhead。　He　saw　movement　in　the　high　foliage；　as　unseen　small　animals　jumped　from　branch　to　branch。　He　heard　squeaks　and　chirps；　distinctly　animal　sounds。
　　　　〃Those　aren't　birds；　up　there；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Monkeys？〃
　　　　〃Maybe；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃I　doubt　it。〃
　　　　Eddie　shivered。　〃I　say　we　get　out　of　here；〃
　　　　He　returned　to　the　stream；　and　climbed　into　the　Explorer。　Malcolm　walked　cautiously　with　Thorne　back　to　the　trailer　entrance。　The　pys　parted　around　them；　but　still　did　not　run　away。　They　stood　all　around　their　legs；　chattering　excitedly。　Malcolm　and　Thorne　climbed　into　the　trailer　and　closed　the　doors；　being　careful　not　to　shut　them　on　the　little　creatures。
　　　　Thorne　sat　behind　the　wheel；　and　turned　on　the　motor。　Ahead；　they　saw　that　Eddie　was　already　driving　the　Explorer　through　the　stream；　and　heading　up　the　sloping　ridge　on　the　far　side。
　　　　〃The；　uh；　proso…whatevers；　Eddie　said；　over　the　radio。　〃They're　real；　aren't　they？〃
　　　　〃Oh　yes；　Malcolm　said　softly。　〃They're　real。〃

The　Road

Thorne　was　uneasy。　He　was　beginning　to　understand　how　Eddie　felt。　He　had　built　these　vehicles；　and　he　had　an　unfortable　sense　of　isolation；　of　being　in　this　faraway　place　with　untested　equipment。　The　road　continued　steeply　upward　through　dark　jungle　for　the　next　fifteen　minutes。　Inside　the　trailer；　it　grew　unfortably　warm。　Sitting　beside　him；　Malcolm　said；　〃Air　conditioning？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　want　to　drain　the　battery。〃　〃Mind　if　I　open　the　window？〃
　　　　〃If　you　think　it's　all　right；〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　Malcolm　shrugged。　〃Why　not？〃　He　pushed　the　button；　and　the　power　window　rolled　down。　Warm　air　blew　into　the　car。　He　glanced　back　at　Thorne。　〃Nervous；　Doc？〃
　　　　〃Sure；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Damned　right　I　am。〃　Even　with　the　window　open；　he　felt　sweat　running　down　his　chest　as　he　drove。
　　　　Over　the　radio；　Eddie　was　saying；　〃I'm　telling　you；　we　should　have　tested　first；　Doc。　Should　have　done　it　by　the　book。　You　don't　e　to　a　place　with　poisonous　chickens　if　you're　not　sure　your　vehicles　will　hold　up。〃
　　　　〃The　cars　are　fine；〃　Thorne　said。　〃How's　your　levels？〃
　　　　〃High　normal；　Eddie　said。　〃Just　great。　Of　course；　we've　only　gone　five　miles。　It's　nine　in　the　morning；　Doc。〃
　　　　The　road　swung　right；　then　left；　following　a　series　of　switchbacks　as　the　terrain　became　steeper。　Hauling　the　big　trailers；　Thorne　had　to　concentrate　on　his　driving；　it　was　a　relief　to　focus　his　attention。
　　　　Ahead　of　them；　the　Explorer　turned　left；　going　higher　up　the　road。　〃I　don't　see　any　more　animals；〃　Eddie　said。　He　sounded　relieved。
　　　　Finally　the　road　flattened　out　as　it　turned；　following　the　crest　of　the　ridge。　According　to　the　GPS　display；　they　were　now　heading　north　west；　toward　the　interior　of　the　island。　But　the　jungle　still　hemmed　them　in　on　all　sides；　they　could　not　see　much　beyond　the　dense　walls　of　foliage。
　　　　They　came　to　a　Y　intersection　in　the　road；　and　Eddie　pulled　over　to　the　side。　Thorne　saw　that　in　the　crook　of　the　Y　was　a　faded　wooden　sign；　with　arrows　pointing　in　both　directions。　To　the　left；　the　sign　said　〃To　Swamp。〃　To　the　right　was　another　arrow；　and　the　words；　〃To　Site　B。〃
　　　　Eddie　said；　〃Guys？　Which　way？〃