jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第28部分

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　John　felt　the　same　as　Cubby；　John　had　to　know　whether　he　had　a　home　and　what　had　happened　to　his　parents。　He　just　wasn't　sure　how　to　go　about　it。
　〃Are　you　going　to　walk；　Cubby？〃　John　asked。　〃Which　way？〃
　〃That　way；〃　Cubby　said　nodding　in　the　direction　they　had　been　going。
　〃Why　not　head　back　to　the　van　and　try　to　drive　around？　If　the　road　is　clear　we　could　head　out　the　Wilsonville　Highway　and　try　to　e　in　on　I…5。〃
　〃There　was　a　lot　of　debris　on　that　highway。　I　bet　it　takes　two　days　to　clear　it。　And　they'll　clear　Highway　99　before　they　work　on　some　back　road　to　Wilsonville。　I　can　walk　the　rest　of　the　way　to　Portland　before　then。　Besides；　I　could　break　out　of　this　over　the　next　hill　and　hitchhike　the　rest　of　the　way…〃
　〃Cubby；　for　all　you　know　this　forest　could　run　all　the　way　to　Boston；〃　Ripman　interrupted。　〃Hey；　we　found　the　spot　where　the　topless　joint　was；　but　that　doesn't　mean　we　can　find　your　house。〃
　Cubby　thought　for　a　minute　and　then　squatted　down。　He　ripped　some　of　the　grass　and　ferns　out　of　the　ground　and　cleared　a　patch　of　dirt。　Then　he　drew　in　it　with　the　tip　of　his　knife。
　〃I　can't　pinpoint　my　house　too　well；　but　I　can　my　dad's　church。〃
　Cubby　drew　three　circles　on　the　ground　and　a　couple　of　squiggly　lines。
　〃We　know　the　hills　and　valleys　seem　to　be　the　same；　even　though　the　trees　and　stuff　are　all　different。　We　don't　know　about　rivers　though。　These　are　the　hills　I　can　see　from　the　church。　This　one's　Rocky　Butte；　this　one　is　Mt。　Tabor；　and　this　one　is　that　one　that　has　all　the　cemeteries　on　it。　My　dad's　church　is　right　here　on　this　hill。〃　Cubby　stuck　the　knife　in　a　spot　just　behind　two　of　the　hills。　〃This　is　the　Willamette　River　and　this　is　the　Columbia。　After　I　e　down　out　of　the　West　Hills　and　drop　into　the　valley；　all　I　need　to　do　is　cross　the　Willamette。　Then　if　I　hit　the　Columbia　I'll　know　I've　gone　too　far　east　and　need　to　turn　south。〃
　Ripman　had　been　studying　the　map。
　〃Don't　forget　the　Clackamas　and　that　other　river　out　here；〃　Ripman　said　adding　more　squiggly　lines。　Ripman　started　arguing　over　topographical　details；　but　finally　they　turned　to　John；
　〃You　going　with　him？〃　Ripman　asked。
　〃I've　got　to　find　my　parents　too。〃
　〃If　I　was　you；　John；　I'd　head　to　that　cabin　your　parents　have　at　the　coast。　They'll　look　there　for　you　eventually。　Besides；〃　he　said；　his　voice　softening；　〃if　your　parents　are　in　the　same　place　as　the　nude　girls；　then　you　are　going　to　need　that　cabin。　If　it　stays　empty　some　survivalist　is　going　to　occupy　it　and　you　won't　have　a　chance　of　getting　him　out。〃
　John　felt　stung。　His　parents　couldn't　be　gone　like　the　nude　dancers；　could　they？　Sure；　Ripman　was　right　about　the　beach　house。　There　was　food　there；　and　money　hidden　away。　Still；　Cubby　was　right　too。　This　forest　could　end　a　few　yards　away；　and　he　could　hitchhike　home　by　dinnertime。　Hitching　to　the　coast　would　probably　take　him　all　night。
　〃This　can't　go　on　much　farther；　Ripman。〃　John　said　it　without　conviction　and　then　added；　〃I'm　going　with　Cubby。〃
　〃Well　then　I　might　as　well　keep　you　wusses　pany。〃
　Ripman　didn't　say　anything　about　finding　his　father；　but　John　noticed　Ripman　had　marked　his　house　on　the　map　he　and　Cubby　made。
　It　was　late　morning　when　they　started　out　again；　and　a　warm　autumn　day。　One　by　one　they　took　off　their　jackets　and　tied　them　around　their　waists。　The　forest　thinned　as　they　walked　and　they　began　passing　through　small　natural　meadows。　Leafy　deciduous　trees　joined　the　giant　redwoods。　John　recognized　poplars　and　some　trees　hung　with　fruit　that　looked　like　figs。　There　were　no　ferns　in　the　meadows；　and　the　grass　was　knee　high。
　Ripman　stopped　in　a　stand　of　poplars；　waved　his　hand　for　silence；　then　unslung　his　bow　and　notched　an　arrow。　John　and　Cubby　imitated　him　clumsily。　Ripman　whispered　to　them　without　taking　his　eyes　off　the　forest　ahead　of　them。
　〃Something　ran　by　。　。　。　there。〃
　John　looked　in　the　direction　Ripman　indicated　but　saw　nothing　except　forest。　Suddenly　something　John　had　never　seen　before　ran　through　the　trees　and　disappeared。　It　was　five　or　six　feet　high　and　ran　on　large　black　legs；　holding　its　slender　tail　straight　out　behind。　It　had　long　slim　arms　in　the　front　and　a　snakelike　neck　that　ended　in　a　small　head。　Large　yellow　eyes　were　set　just　above　the　mouth。
　〃Did　you　see…〃　John　stammered。
　〃Yeah；〃　Ripman　replied。　〃Looked　like　a　plucked　ostrich。〃
　Two　more　ran　by；　glancing　at　them。　The　tails　and　the　necks　were　striped　with　wide　bands　of　greenish　yellow　alternating　with　grayish　greens。
　〃e　on；　let's　follow　them。〃　Ripman's　voice　overflowed　with　excitement。
　Ripman　led　off。　John　saw　the　doubt　on　Cubby's　face；　but　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　started　after　Ripman。
　The　boys　emerged　in　a　meadow　and　cut　across　it；　although　the　animals　were　out　of　sight。　They　had　nearly　reached　the　other　side　when　they　heard　a　motion　behind　them。　Turning　to　look；　they　suddenly　saw　an　animal　burst　out　of　the　forest　and　e　running　toward　them；　bent　over　and　speeding　on　two　powerful　legs　like　the　plucked　ostriches　they　had　just　seen。　But　this　animal　was　taller　and　bulkier。　Its　neck　was　shorter　and　thicker　and　its　head　larger；　with　a　ducklike　bill　for　a　mouth。　Covered　with　slick…looking　skin；　with　a　long　tail；　it　was　undoubtedly　a　dinosaur。
　John　was　staring　in　disbelief　when　he　felt　Cubby　jerking　on　his　pack；　screaming　for　John　to　run。　Turning；　he　started　following　Cubby's　retreating　back；　his　legs　pumping　away。　He　felt　his　heart　e　up　to　speed　and　his　breathing　quickened　and　deepened；　and　now　his　fear　turned　quickly　to　panic。　His　legs　pounded　recklessly　over　the　uneven　surface　of　the　meadow　and　drove　him　into　the　forest。　He　jumped　grass　clumps　and　ferns　that　he　couldn't　run　over　and　followed　Cubby's　charge　even　when　it　led　through　razor　grass。
　When　John　realized　he　had　reached　his　top　speed　he　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　The　dinosaur　was　gaining　on　him。　It　wasn't　the　huge　monster　that　he　had　expected；　but　it　was　big　enough　to　make　a　meal　of　him。　John's　heart　was　pounding　faster　than　it　ever　had　before；　his　lungs　burned；　and　his　legs　were　weakening。　To　his　horror　John　realized　that　they　were　now　heading　up　a　hill。　He　could　see　the　ground　dropping　away　to　his　right。　He　knew　the　hill　would　slow　him　and　tire　him　more　quickly。
　A　movement　down　the　hill　caught　his　attention。　Ripman　was　weaving　his　way　through　the　trees。　For　some　reason　Cubby　had　continued　up　the　hill　when　Ripman　headed　down；　and　John　had　blindly　followed　Cubby。　John；　forgetting　all　loyalty；　glanced　over　his　shoulder　again　in　the　hope　that　the　dinosaur　had　followed　Ripman。
　When　John　looked　back　the　dinosaur　was　still　behind　him；　and　the　head　would　be　within　snapping　distance　very　soon。　He　saw　something　else。　There　was　a　second　dinosaur；　and　this　one　was　huge；　with　a　mouth　big　enough　to　bite　him　in　half　with　its　double　rows　of　pointed　teeth。
　At　last　John　had　a　plan。　He　used　the　remainder　of　his　energy　to　push　up　so　that　Cubby　could　see　him　in　his　peripheral　vision。　Then　when　he　spotted　a　large　clump　of　grass　a　few　feet　to　the　left；　he　headed　toward　it；　noticing　Cubby's　head　jerk　in　his　direction　when　he　broke。　Six　feet　from　the　grass　John　dove　headfirst；　sliding　to　a　stop　in　the　middle　of　the　clump。　He　pulled　his　knees　up　to　his　chest　and　waited。　As　he　expected；　the　smaller　dinosaur　ran　past　without　stopping。　The　ground　began　rumbling　then；　and　the　monster　that　had　been　following　them　charged　past。　Even　in　the　clump　of　grass　John　could　see　the　head　of　the　dinosaur　towering　above　him。
　He　lay　in　the　grass　a　long　time。　Slowly　his　heart　rate　dropped　and　he　was　able　to　bring　his　breathing　under　control。　As　his　adrenalin　cleared　from　his　bloodstream；　he　began　to　feel　the　grass　cuts　on　his　arms；　neck；　and　face。　Before　long　he　risked　stepping　out。　He　stood　still；　listening　hard　but　could　hear　noshing。　His　first　impulse　was　to　run　back　the　way　they　had　e。　He　wanted　to　run　back　and　find　Ripman。　But　what　had　happened　to　Cubby？
　John　started　in　the　direction　the　dinosaurs　had　run。　It　was　an　easy　path　to　follow；　since　the　big　one　had　flattened　everything　it　stepped　on。　After　a　few　yards　John　began　to　whisper　Cubby's　name　so　he　could　honestly　tell　Ripman　〃I　searched　for　Cubby　but　couldn't　find　him。〃　Still；　John　continued　looking；　to　convince　himself　that　he　had　done　a　reasonable　search。　He　was　about　to　turn　back　when　he　heard　Cubby's　voice；　no　longer　tentative　but　loud　and　clear。　〃Over　here；　John。〃
　Cubby　was　sitting　on　a　log　unlacing　his　shoe。　Rivulets　of　red　ran　down　his　arms　and　face。　Occasionally　he　wiped　away　some　of　the　blood　from　his　face。　Overwhelmed　by　relief；　John　bright…ened。　〃Man；　I'm　glad　to　see　you。　How　did　you　get　away？〃
　〃Did　the　same　thing　you　did。　I　dove　behind　this　log　and　waited。　Did　you　see　the　size　of　that　monster　chasing　the　little　one？　That　little　one　wasn't　after　us；　it　was　trying　to　save　itself。〃
　〃e　on；　Cubby；　those　things　might　e　back。　We've　got　to　get　out　of　here。〃
　〃Wait〃
　John　watched　Cubby　untie　his　shoe　and　dump　rocks　out。
　〃What's　the　point　of　that？　Do　you　really　think　you　could　outrun　that　big　one　if　it　decided　to　make　a　snack　out　of　you？〃
　〃John；　I　don't　have　to　outrun　him；　I　only　have　to　outrun　you。〃
　John　thought　briefly；　then　laughed　out　loud。
　
　21。　　　IGUANODON