jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第35章
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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 travelers talking about the landslide blocking I…5。〃
〃You read my mind correctly on that one。 Now try the next question。〃
〃I don't have any idea where this came from or what is going on。〃
Terry laughed and nodded。 It was reassuring to know Bill was as confused as he was。 Bill Conrad had been in his element in the cave； prepared for his role by his training。 But out here on the road； standing in front of a mountain that magically appeared on an interstate highway； Bill wasn't any more petent than Terry or anyone else。 Terry spotted Ellen talking to Angie。 They were laughing and smiling； as if they were old friends。
〃It makes you wonder about that kid in the cave； doesn't it？〃 Bill said。 〃I mean I wonder if this is what he was talking about？〃
Until Bill Conrad had suggested it； Terry had never connected the kid in the cave with the mountain。 Now； he was having trouble relating them。
〃I don't know； Bill； the kid was delusional； and he was pretty specific about what was going to happen。 The world was supposed to end。〃
〃The sister said something about
