jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第31部分

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　〃Outside！　Something　just　ran　by。〃
　They　all　piled　out　of　the　RV；　scanning　the　meadow。
　〃There；　that　way！〃　Dr。　Coombs　shouted；　pointing　toward　the　hedge　in　the　distance。
　Bobbing　up　and　down　in　the　grass　was　a　greenish；　dome…shaped；　seemingly　disembodied　head。　They　watched　it　moving　closer　to　the　tall　bushes　in　the　distance；　when　suddenly　something　ran　between　Dr。　Coombs's　legs。　It　was　Sid。　Colter　started　after　him　but　Dr。　Piltcher　called　him　back。
　〃Never　mind；　Colter。　I　wasn't　thinking　clearly　before。　This　isn't　about　one　psittacosaurus。　This　is　about　a　whole　new　world。〃　Dr。　Piltcher　waved　his　arm　at　the　jungle　before　him。　〃We　need　to　explore　it　systematically。〃
　〃And　look　for　Mrs。　Wayne　and　Ernie？〃　Petra　asked；　timidly。
　〃Of　course；　Petra。　I　didn't　mean　to　sound　insensitive。〃
　Petra　hugged　his　arm　in　response。　Reddening；　he　quickly　changed　the　subject。　〃Let's　make　camp　here。　It's　not　safe　to　move　into　the　jungle　until　we　know　more　about　what's　out　there；　and　there　seem　to　be　animals　much　larger　than　Sid。〃
　
　They　jockeyed　the　RV　around　until　it　was　level；　and　set　up　the　canopy；　a　portable　picnic　table　and　lawn　chairs。　For　shade　they　set　up　a　tarp　on　poles　and　anchored　it　securely　with　ropes　and　stakes。　Colter　and　Petra　spread　out　looking　for　a　supply　of　firewood；　there　was　little　wood　in　the　desert；　so　they　walked　through　the　tall　jungle　grasses　picking　up　branches。
　〃Hey；　Petra；　give　me　a　hand　with　this。〃
　Petra　turned　to　see　Colter　pushing　a　large　limb　up　out　of　the　grass。　It　seemed　to　be　attached　to　a　bigger　limb。　Colter　was　rocking　it　back　and　forth；　judging　its　weight。　If　the　two　of　them　could　move　it　back　to　camp；　it　would　supply　enough　wood　for　a　couple　of　days。　Colter　rocked　it　low　and　then　pulled　it　up　high　again；　putting　his　shoulder　under　the　limb。　When　he　pushed　up　hard；　they　heard　a　loud　cracking　sound；　and　Colter　dropped　the　limb　and　dove　into　the　grass。
　〃Colter？　What　are　you　doing？〃　Petra　shouted。
　〃Here；　look　at　this。〃
　Colter　stood　up　holding　something　by　its　tail。　Petra　approached　slowly。　It　was　some　kind　of　lizard；　dark　green　and　about　eight　inches　long。　Its　tail　was　a　third　of　the　body；　thick　and　stubby。　It　had　four　long　limbs；　the　front　and　back　pairs　about　the　same　length。　The　neck　looked　very　thin　and　insubstantial；　the　head　elongated　with　two　large　slits　at　the　tip　for　nostrils。　When　it　opened　its　mouth　it　revealed　no　teeth　but　white　ridges；　which　it　was　trying　to　use　on　Colter。
　〃Is　this　one　a　baby　or　what？〃
　〃Maybe　it's　just　a　small　dinosaur。　Let's　take　it　to　Dr。　Piltcher。〃
　Colter　carried　the　animal　by　its　tail　back　to　the　camp；　Petra　trotting　ahead　to　alert　the　others。　Excited　all　over　again；　Dr。　Piltcher　set　the　mattresses　back　up　to　trap　the　new　find　in　the　back　of　the　RV。　As　soon　as　Colter　gently　set　the　little　dinosaur　on　the　floor；　it　was　off　scampering　around　the　enclosure　looking　for　a　way　out。
　〃Well；　Chester；　this　one　has　me　beat。　It's　clearly　not　local　fauna　but　I　don't　recognize　it。〃
　〃Nor　I；　George。　You　don't　suppose　its　a　mussaurus？〃
　〃I　have　to　admit　I'm　not　familiar　with　the　species。　Would　this　be　a　full…grown　mussaurus？〃
　〃If　that's　what　it　is；　yes。　They　didn't　get　much　longer　than　eight　or　ten　inches。〃
　〃Moose；　kind　of　a　funny　name　for　a　lizard　this　small；〃　Colter　said。　〃I　like　it。〃
　Dr。　Piltcher　shook　his　head；　taxed　almost　to　the　limit　by　Colter's　juvenile　attitude　and　his　need　to　nickname　each　new　species。　But　he　kept　silent。　The　mussaurus　continued　to　scramble　around　looking　for　a　way　out。　Then　it　stopped　and　turned　to　face　them。　Dr。　Piltcher　could　see　its　sides　heaving。　Suddenly　it　shot　forward　and　scrambled　up　the　mattresses　in　three　quick　leaps　and　onto　Petra's　jeans。　As　Petra　screamed；　Dr。　Coombs　and　Colter　grabbed　for　the　dinosaur。　But　it　was　too　quick　and　darted　under　and　up　Petra's　shirt。　Petra　gasped　as　the　clawed　feet　worked　its　way　up　her　stomach。　She　clamped　her　hand　down；　trying　to　stop　the　mussaurus；　but　gently　so　not　to　hurt　it。
　〃Aah！　It　hurts；　help　me　get　it　out！　It's　going　around　to　my　back！〃
　Dr。　Coombs　shoved　his　hand　up　the　back　of　Petra's　shirt；　embarrassed　by　the　feel　of　her　bare　skin　and　bra　strap。　Petra　kept　gasping　and　flinching　at　the　scratches　from　the　scrambling　claws。
　〃It's　going　up　to　my　shoulder！　Look　out　everyone！〃　Petra　shouted；　and　pushed　the　hands　away。　Then　she　reached　down；　pulling　the　shirt　up　and　over　her　head。　Suddenly　exposed；　the　lizard　froze；　and　then　darted　down　the　front。　Now　Dr。　Piltcher's　hand　shot　out　and　pinned　the　dinosaur　between　the　cups　of　Petra's　bra。　He　flushed　but　seized　the　animal。　Immediately；　Petra　pulled　her　shirt　back　over　her　head；　noticing　the　only　one　without　a　red　face　was　Colter。
　As　the　dinosaur　clamped　its　jaws　on　Dr。　Piltcher's　thumb；　the　professor　dropped　it。　Free　again；　the　dinosaur　scrambled　up　a　wall　and　onto　the　small　space　on　top　of　the　cabinets。
　〃Old　Moose　is　a　handful；〃　Colter　said。　〃Copped　〃a　feel　of　Petra　and　then　took　on　someone　a　hundred　times　his　size。　Want　me　to　get　him　down　out　of　there？〃
　〃No。〃　Dr。　Piltcher　said。　〃It's　not　worth　the　risk。　Let's　just　wait　outside　with　the　door　open。　He'll　leave　on　his　own　accord。〃
　〃Don't　you　want　to　study　him　some　more？〃　Colter　asked　with　a　smirk。
　They　worked　outside　for　the　rest　of　the　afternoon。　When　supper　time　approached　they　found　Moose　still　on　top　of　the　cabinet。　They　tried　catching　him　again；　but　this　time　Dr。　Coombs　ended　up　with　a　nipped　finger。　Finally　they　gave　up。
　They　agreed　they　might　attract　too　many　unknown　animals　by　cooking　outside；　so　Dr。　Coombs　prepared　spaghetti　and　meatballs　in　the　camper。　When　dinner　was　ready；　they　settled　down　in　the　cramped　RV；　but　halfway　through　dinner；　some　thing　banged　against　the　door。　Petra　got　up　and　looked　out　the　window　but　could　see　nothing。　Then　it　banged　again。　Petra　opened　the　door　slowly；　all　of　them　watching　curiously。　She　was　about　to　close　the　door　again　when　a　small　dinosaur　trotted　into　view；　then　out　again；　and　then　back。　Then　another　one　trotted　into　view　behind　the　first。　One　of　the　dinosaurs　was　Sid。　He　had　e　for　dinner；　and　he　had　brought　a　friend。
　
　23。　　　MOUNTAIN　MYSTERY
　
　As　I　approached　the　Lang　farm　I　could　see　my　friend　David　working　in　his　field。　His　family　was　near　the　house　and　waved　in　greeting。　When　David　turned　toward　me　he　suddenly　disappeared。　The　Lang　family　joined　me　in　the　field　to　search　but　we　found　no　trace　of　him。
　…Judge　August　Peck；　September　23；　1880
　
　North　of　Grant's　Pass；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　SUNDAY；　10：30　A。M。　PST
　
　　It　was　a　mountain　all　right；　Terry　conceded　to　himself。　Even　if　the　word　might　be　a　bit　grandiose　for　the　pile　of　rocks　in　front　of　him。　Rather　than　towering　snow…capped　peaks　rising　above　the　timberline；　Terry　was　staring　at　a　huge　pile　of　boulders　that　looked　as　if　they　had　been　poured　into　the　middle　of　the　interstate。　It　could　have　been　the　result　of　an　avalanche；　except　the　pile　towered　above　the　nearest　hill。　Then　there　was　the　problem　of　the　vegetation。　Leading　up　to　the　towering　rock　pile　was　a　carpet　of　sparse　clump　grass；　but　it　didn't　match　the　surrounding　vegetation。　Would　an　avalanche　have　deposited　a　green　carpet　of　scrawny。grass？
　Terry　and　Ellen　had　been　skeptical　when　they　left　the　parking　lot　at　the　Oregon　Caves；　even　as　the　CB　reports　of　the　mountain　were　confirmed　by　other　motorists　with　CBs。　But　still　it　was　hard　to　believe。　They'd　driven　only　a　few　miles　north　of　Grant's　Pass　before　they　realized　the　traffic　in　the　southbound　lanes　was　very　light。　The　farther　north　they　drove；　the　lighter　it　became　until　the　traffic　stopped　pletely。　Shortly　after　that　they　came　to　a　traffic　jam。
　The　traffic　was　at　a　dead　stop；　and　northbound　drivers　were　abandoning　their　cars　and　walking　forward　through　the　extemporaneous　parking　lot。　Terry　and　Ellen　had　to　walk　nearly　a　mile　before　they　saw　the　mountain。　It　was　set　a　little　to　the　east　of　the　interstate　with　the　mountain　tumbled　down　to　the　west。　A　hundred　people　were　milling　around　in　front　of　it。　Many　of　them　were　taking　pictures　or　videos。　Parents　posed　their　children　on　boulders　or　in　the　clearing；　trying　to　get　as　much　of　the　mountain　in　their　shot　as　possible。　Other　children　chased　around　the　clearing　or　climbed　rocks。
　Terry　and　Ellen　joined　the　crowd　of　happy　gawkers；　but　Terry　couldn't　share　their　partying　mood。　Only　here　and　there　were　other　concerned　faces　like　Terry's。　This　mountain　wasn't　just　a　road　hazard　that　prevented　tourists　from　logging　their　four　hundred　miles　a　day。　It　represented　something　far　larger；　something　Terry　did　not　understand。　Something　impossible。
　Terry　squatted　at　the　end　of　the　interstate　and　examined　the　edge。　It　was　a　nice　sharp　break。　On　one　side　you　had　a　four…lane　freeway　and　on　the　other　side　coarse　grass　leading　up　to　the　mountain。　Terry　began　looking　for　a　way　around　the　mountain。　He　certainly　couldn't　drive　around　it；　but　he　was　curious　how　big　a　blockage　this　was。　He　was　about　to　suggest　a　walk　to　Ellen　when　he　heard　a　familiar　voice；　and　he　looked　up　to　see　the　towering　figure　of　Bill　Conrad。
　〃If　you're　wondering　if　the　road　continues　on　the　other　side；　it　does。　I　just　don't　know　how　far　you　have　to　go。　The　CB　channels　are　buzzing　with　southbound　truckers　and