jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第29部分

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　John　thought　briefly；　then　laughed　out　loud。
　
　21。　　　IGUANODON
　
　The　term　dinosaur　means　〃terrible　lizard。〃　and　terrible　they　would　have　seemed　had　mankind　had　the　misfortune　to　evolve　simultaneously。　The　naked　ape　would　not　have　survived　to　develop　into　modern　man　under　the　onslaught　of　the　giant　carnivores。
　…Dr。　Robert　Hampton；　Kingdom　of　the　Dinosaurs
　
　New　York　City
　POSTQUILT：　SUNDAY；　9：37　A。M。　EST
　
　The　day　Mariel　spent　waiting　for　the　iguanodon　to　return　was　a　day　like　no　other…a　constant　parade　of　surprises。　The　iguanodon　didn't　appear；　but　other　dinosaurs　did。　Mariel　sat　with　her　book　identifying　them　as　best　she　could；　cursing　her　eyes　and　herself　for　giving　away　Phillip's　binoculars。
　A　couple　of　hours　after　the　iguanodon　left；　she　thought　the　wind　had　e　up　because　large　sections　of　grass　moved　simultaneously。　But　as　the　movement　came　closer；　she　began　to　see　small　heads　poke　up　and　down　quickly。　Mariel　never　got　a　good　count；　but　she　estimated　two　dozen　of　the　little　dinosaurs。　They　sprinted　forward　and　back　in　the　grass　like　seabirds　running　from　ocean　waves；　but　Mariel　never　got　enough　of　a　look　to　identify　them。　Soon　the　bobbing　heads　vanished。
　Mariel　fell　asleep　late　in　the　morning；　exhausted　from　the　previous　night。　When　she　woke　it　was　with　a　start；　to　another　blast　from　that　air　horn。　She　looked　out　the　window　in　time　tp　see　three　big…headed　dinosaurs　running　through　the　grass；　leaning　forward　on　two　legs　with　their　tails　held　straight　out　behind　them。　The　three　ran　in　formation　with　one　in　the　front　and　the　other　two　behind　on　either　side；　in　a　triangle。　When　they　disappeared　into　the　distance　quickly；　Mariel　chided　herself　for　her　weakness　in　falling　asleep。　Flipping　through　her　dinosaur　book　again；　now　familiar　with　the　pages；　she　found　their　picture　right　away。　They　were　deinonychus。　The　book　described　them　as　hunters；　probably　in　packs；　and　pictured　them　around　the　body　of　a　much　larger　dinosaur；　with　blood　on　their　huge　jaws　and　with　hunks　of　red　meat　hanging　from　their　mouths。　It　made　Mariel　glad　these　carnivorous　dinosaurs　had　been　chased　away；　and　she　worried　the　deinonychus　might　attack　her　friend。
　Though　she　munched　on　crackers　and　drank　fruit　juice；　she　was　about　asleep　again　when　she　heard　someone　turning　her　doorknob。　Instantly　she　was　awake。　She　watched　the　knob　turn　back　and　forth；　and　then　she　heard　voices　in　the　hall。　Mariel　knew　friends　would　have　knocked　first；　so　she　yelled　to　let　them　know　the　apartment　wasn't　empty。
　〃Get　away　from　my　door！　I've　got　a　gun　and　I　know　how　to　use　it。〃　She　never　heard　the　voices　again　and　her　doorknob　didn't　move　after　that。
　Later　she　thought　she　heard　the　sound　of　splintering　wood　somewhere。　Now；　she　suspected　thieves　were　loose　in　her　building　but　knew　she　was　too　old　to　do　anything　about　it　alone。　So　she　sat　by　the　window　watching　for　the　dinosaur　with　the　sweet　tooth　to　e　back。
　A　new　dinosaur　appeared　after　noon；　a　funny…looking；　dome…headed　dinosaur　with　small　spikes　sticking　up　on　its　snout　and　ugly　green　bumps　along　the　back　of　its　head。　It　ate　its　way　through　the　meadow；　its　rounded　head　ing　up　frequently　to　sniff　the　air　and　scan　the　horizon。　This　dinosaur　was　nothing　like　the　iguanodon。　It　was　much　smaller　and　obviously　much　less　intelligent。　Mariel　could　tell　because　it　didn't　seem　surprised　by　the　building…too　dumb　to　know　her　building　wasn't　some　big　rock　or　cliff。　No；　this　Dome…head　had　no　curiosity　like　her　dinosaur。　Dome…head　worked　through　the　meadow　along　the　length　of　Mariel's　building；　and　shortly　after　it　disappeared　from　her　view　she　heard　the　sound　of　the　air　horn　plus　car　horns。　A　minute　later　Mariel　saw　Dome…head　emerge　and　then　disappear　into　the　trees　in　the　distance。　Flipping　through　the　pages　of　her　book　again；　Mariel　saw　similar　dinosaurs　but　only　one　with　spikes　on　its　nose。　She　had　trouble　pronouncing　the　name；　pachycephalosaurus；　but　didn't　care。　It　was　an　ugly；　dumb　dinosaur　anyway。
　It　was　midaftemoon　when　Mariel's　iguanodon　reappeared。　He　was　grazing　through　the　clearing　again；　but　at　a　much　faster　rate。　Every　time　he　stopped　to　eat　he　reared　up　on　his　hind　legs　and　surveyed　the　surroundings；　watchful　for　danger。　Mariel　hoped　the　deinonychus　were　well　gone。
　Soon　the　iguanodon　forgot　all　about　the　grass　and　fixated　his　eyes　on　the　window　where　Mariel　stood。　The　dinosaur　swung　his　head　looking　left　and　right。　When　he　was　sure　there　were　no　lurking　predators；　he　lifted　his　head　and　opened　his　mouth　wide　making　a　low　〃aaaaah〃　sound。　When　the　sound　died；　Mariel　dropped　a　paper　bag　of　sugar　into　his　mouth；　which　immediately　snapped　shut。
　Now　the　beast　made　loud　smacking　sounds　and　licked　his　lips。　Opening　his　mouth　he　started　〃aaaahing〃　again。　Once　more　she　dropped　a　bag　of　sugar　into　his　mouth。　When　the　explosion　of　sweet　faded；　the　dinosaur　raised　his　head　and　opened　his　mouth　a　third　time；　Mariel　scolded　him。
　〃Two　is　all　you　get。　Now　you　get　back　out　there　and　eat　some　more　of　that　grass。　You'll　get　sick　if　you　eat　nothing　but　sugar。〃　She　had　raised　three　children　and　knew　better　than　to　give　in。　This　dinosaur　had　to　learn　that　two　treats　was　all　and　that　was　final。
　The　dinosaur　stood　outside　her　window　〃aaaahing〃　over　and　over　again。　But　Mariel　held　firm；　and　finally　the　dinosaur　dropped　his　head　and　walked　back　into　the　meadow　toward　the　distant　treeline。　Smiling；　Mariel　prepared　two　more　bags　of　sugar　and　put　them　by　the　window；　then　picked　up　her　crocheting　and　waited。
　Toward　dusk；　her　iguanodon　came　back。
　This　time　he　wasn't　wasting　any　time　eating　grass。　He　walked　through　the　meadow　on　his　two　rear　legs；　headed　straight　for　Mrs。　Weatherby's　window；　lifting　his　head　and　〃aaahing。〃　Mariel　waited　again　for　quiet　and　then　dropped　the　sugar　bomb　into　the　dinosaur's　gaping　mouth。　After　a　second　helping　the　dinosaur　put　his　head　down；　turned　away；　and　walked　out　into　the　meadow。
　〃I　knew　you　were　smart；　Mr。　Iguanodon。〃
　Mariel　beamed。　Back　in　the　kitchen　she　filled　two　more　paper　bags　with　sugar。　She　was　running　low；　but　it　wouldn't　be　safe　to　go　to　a　store　for　more。　If　her　neighbors　were　home　she　could　borrow　some　sugar。　Then　Mariel　remembered　the　splintering　wood。　〃Well；　I　guess　it　wouldn't　exactly　be　stealing；〃　she　said　to　herself；　and　then　started　down　the　hall　to　do　her　shopping。
　
　22。　　LITTLE　ONES
　
　Near　Yorkshire；　England；　eighty　feet　above　the　valley　floor；　we　found　a　cave。　If　the　remains　in　that　cave　were　to　be　believed；　then　reindeer；　hippopotamus；　lions；　and　grizzly　bear　all　lived　together　once　in　England。　What　a　strange　England　that　would　have　been。
　…WilliamBuckland；1823
　
　North　of　Bend；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　SUNDAY；　9：45　A。M。　PST
　
　　Petra　and　Colter　met　the　rest　of　the　group　in　Bend　and　they　traveled　north　in　Dr。　Coombs's　RV；　toward　Warm　Springs。　Petra　tried　to　contact　Mrs。　Wayne　and　Ernie；　but　the　airwaves　were　filled　with　the　curious　and　the　panicky。　In　the　back；　Colter　drifted　in　and　out　of　sleep；　still　hung　over　from　the　night　before。
　The　road　to　Warm　Springs　was　clogged　with　confused　travelers；　so　Dr。　Coombs　backtracked　and　found　a　dirt　road　angling　across　the　Indian　reservation。　They　drove　through　arid　lands；　treeless　and　covered　with　sagebrush。　Small　houses　in　poor　repair　sprinkled　the　low　hills。　Barbed　wire　lined　the　road；　the　fence　held　up　by　a　variety　of　wooden　posts。　Most　posts　were　well…weathered　split　rails；　but　a　bewildering　variety　of　replacement　posts　mingled　with　the　originals。　Metal　posts　were　most　mon；　but　also　axe　handles；　an　oar；　a　two…by…four；　some　four…by…fours；　and　what　looked　to　be　the　legs　of　chairs　could　be　seen。　Horses　gazed　near　some　fences；　but　there　were　no　cows　or　sheep。
　The　dirt　road　ended　in　a　branch。　Dr。　Piltcher　pointed　left　and　they　followed　the　ruts　that　led　north。　Shortly；　the　road　declined　sharply；　leading　to　a　valley。　Dr。　Coombs　braked　to　a　jolting　stop　as　their　mouths　fell　open　in　surprise。
　They　had　expected　something　to　happen。　They　had　predicted　it…Zorastrus　had　predicted　it；　but　even　he　wasn't　specific　about　what　would　happen。　The　road　zigzagged　down　the　hill　and　then　straight　into　the　valley　below；　which　was　bisected　by　a　green　line。　On　one　side　was　the　arid　land　they　had　been　driving　through。　On　the　other　side　was　a　lush　green　landscape；　thick　with　bushes　and　undergrowth。　In　the　distance　they　could　see　a　lake；　and　behind　that　a　forest。　They　sat　in　silence；　trying　to　understand　what　they　were　seeing。　Only　Colter　seemed　unimpressed。
　〃Let's　get　going；　it　looks　cool　down　there；〃　Colter　said　impatiently。
　Dr。　Piltcher；　sitting　in　the　front　passenger　seat；　turned　to　look　at　Colter；　irritation　in　his　voice。
　〃Colter；　doesn't　it　strike　you　as　strange　that　this。　。　。　this　tropical　forest　is　sitting　here　in　the　middle　of　this　desert？〃
　〃I　dunno。　Maybe　they　irrigate。〃
　Dr。　Piltcher　rolled　his　eyes　and　then　turned　back　to　face　the　front；　speaking　over　his　shoulder　as　he　did。　〃They　irrigate　crops；　not　jungle。　Let's　get　closer；　George。〃
　Dr。　Coombs　drove　down　the　zigzag　road　toward　the　scene　below；　Petra　and　Colter　bouncing　from　side　to　side　in　the　back　of　the　RV。　Suddenly　Petra　cried　out。
　〃Look！　There　by　the　lake。　Something's　moving　out　there。　Something　big。〃　　　　〃I　don't　see　it；