the.lost.world-第48部分

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orning。　I　thought　you　kids　deserved　a　chance　to　see　the　dinosaurs　in　the　field　one　more　time。〃
　　　　Arby　squinted　at　him。　〃What's　the　real　reason？〃
　　　　〃I　know；〃　Kelly　said；　in　a　worldly　tone。
　　　　〃Yeah？　What？〃
　　　　〃Dr。　Malcolm　wants　to　be　alone　with　Sarah；　stupid。〃
　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　〃They're　old　friends；〃　Kelly　said。
　　　　〃So？　We　were　just　going　to　watch。〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Kelly　said。　〃I　mean；　they're　old　friends。〃
　　　　〃I　know　what　you're　talking　about；〃　Arby　said。　〃I'm　not　stupid；　you　know。〃
　　　　〃Knock　it　off；〃　Levine　said；　staring　through　the　binoculars。　〃You're　missing　the　interesting　stuff。〃
　　　　〃What's　that？〃
　　　　〃Those　triceratops；　down　at　the　river。　Something's　bothering　them。〃
　　　　The　triceratops　herd　had　been　drinking　peacefully　from　the　river；　but　now　they　were　beginning　to　make　noise。　For　such　huge　animals；　their　vocalizations　were　incongruously　high…pitched：　they　sounded　more　like　yelping　dogs。
　　　　Arby　turned　to　look。　〃There's　something　in　the　trees；〃　he　said；　〃across　the　river。〃　There　was　some　hint　of　dark　movement；　beneath　the　trees。
　　　　The　triceratops　herd　shifted；　and　began　backing　toward　each　other　until　they　formed　a　sort　of　rosette；　with　their　curved　horns　facing　outward；　against　the　unseen　menace。　The　solitary　baby　was　in　the　center；　yelping　in　fear。　One　of　the　animals；　presumably　its　mother；　turned　and　nuzzled　it。　Afterward；　the　baby　was　silent。
　　　　〃I　see　them；〃　Kelly　said；　staring　at　the　trees。　〃They're　raptors。　Over　there。〃
　　　　The　triceratops　herd　faced　the　raptors；　the　adults　barking　as　they　swung　their　sharp　horns　up　and　down。　They　created　a　kind　of　barrier　of　moving　spikes。　There　was　an　unmistakable　sense　of　coordination；　of　group　defense　against　predators。
　　　　Levine　was　smiling　happily。　〃There's　never　been　any　evidence　for　this；〃　he　said；　suddenly　cheerful。　〃In　fact；　most　paleontologists　don't　believe　it　happens。〃
　　　　〃Don't　believe　what　happens？〃　Arby　said。
　　　　〃This　kind　of　group　defensive　behavior。　Especially　with　trikes　…　they　look　a　bit　like　rhinos；　so　they've　been　assumed　to　be　solitary；　like　rhinos。　But　now　we　will　see。。。。Ah。Yes。〃
　　　　From　beneath　the　trees；　a　single　velociraptor　hopped　out　into　view。　It　moved　quickly　on　its　hind　legs；　balancing　with　a　stiff　tall。
　　　　The　triceratops　herd　barked　noisily　at　the　appearance　of　the　raptor。　The　other　raptors　remained　hidden　beneath　the　trees；　The　solitary　velociraptor　in　full　view　moved　in　a　slow　semicircle　around　the　herd；　entering　the　water　on　the　far　side。　It　crossed；　swimming　easily；　and　came　out　on　the　other　bank；　It　was　now　about　fifty　yards　upstream　from　the　barking　triceratops…　herd；　which　wheeled　to　present　a　united　front。　All　their　attention　was　focused　on　the　single　velociraptor。
　　　　Slowly；　other　raptors　began　to　slink　out　of　their　hiding　place。　They　moved　low；　bodies　hidden　in　the　tall　grass。
　　　　〃Jeez；〃　Arby　said。　〃They're　hunting。〃
　　　　〃In　a　pack；〃　Levine　said；　nodding。　He　picked　up　a　bit　of　candy　bar　wrapper　from　the　floor　of　the　shelter；　and　dropped　it；　watching　it　flutter　off　in　the　wind。　〃The　main　pack　is　downwind；　so　the　trikes　can't　smell　them。〃　He　raised　the　binoculars　to　his　eyes　again。　〃I　think；〃　he　said；　〃that　we're　about　to　see　a　kill。〃
　　　　They　watched　as　the　raptors　closed　in　around　the　herd。　And　then　suddenly；　lightning　cracked　on　the　island　rim；　brilliantly　lighting　the　valley　floor。　One　of　the　stalking　raptors　stood　up　in　surprise。　Its　head　was　briefly　visible　above　the　grass。
　　　　Immediately；　the　triceratops　herd　wheeled　again；　regrouping　to　face　the　new　menace。　All　the　raptors　stopped；　as　if　to　reconsider　their　plan。
　　　　〃What　happened？〃　Arby　said。　〃Why　are　they　stopping？〃
　　　　〃They're　in　trouble。〃
　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　〃Look　at　them。　The　main　pack　is　still　across　the　river。　They're　too　far　away　to　mount　an　attack。〃
　　　　〃You　mean　they're　giving　up？　Already？〃
　　　　〃Looks　like　it；〃　Levine　said。
　　　　One　by　one；　the　raptors　in　the　grass　raised　their　heads；　making　their　positions　known；　As　each　new　predator　appeared；　the　triceratops　barked　loudly。　The　raptors　seemed　to　know　the　situation　was　hopeless。　They　slunk　away；　moving　back　toward　the　trees。　Seeing　them　retreat；　the　triceratops　barked　even　louder。
　　　　And　then　the　single　raptor　by　the　water's　edge　charged。　It　moved　incredibly　fast　…　astonishingly　fast　…　streaking　like　a　cheetah　across　the　fifty　yards　that　separated　it　from　the　herd。　The　adult　triceratops　had　no　time　to　re…form。　The　baby　was　exposed。　It　squealed　in　fright　as　it　saw　the　approaching　animal。
　　　　The　velociraptor　leapt　into　the　air；　raising　both　its　hind　legs。　Lightning　cracked　again；　and　in　the　brilliant　light　they　saw　the　twin　curved　claws　high　in　the　air。　At　the　last　moment；　the　nearest　adult　turned；　swiveling　its　big　horned　head　with　the　wide　bony　crest；　and　it　knocked　the　raptor　a　glancing　blow；　sending　the　animal　sprawling　on　the　muddy　bank。　Immediately　the　adult　triceratops　charged　forward；　its　head　high。　When　it　reached　the　raptor　it　stopped　abruptly　and　swung　its　big　head　down；　lowering　its　horns　toward　the　fallen　animal。　But　the　raptor　was　quick；　hissing；　it　leapt　to　its　feet；　and　the　triceratotops　horns　slashed　harmlessly　into　the　mud。　The　raptor　spun　sideways；　and　kicked　the　adult　on　the　snout；　drawing　blood　with　its　big　curved　claw。　The　adult　bellowed；　but　by　then　two　other　adults　were　charging　forward；　while　the　others　remained　behind　with　the　baby。　The　raptor　scrambled　away；　back　into　the　grass。
　　　　〃Wow；〃　Arby　said。　〃That　was　something！〃

The　Herd

King　gave　a　long　sigh　of　relief　as　he　came　to　the　Y…fork　in　the　road；　and　drove　the　red　Jeep　left；　ing　onto　a　wide　dirt　road。　He　recognized　it　at　once：　this　was　the　ridge　road　that　led　back　to　the　boat。　As　he　looked　off　to　his　left；　he　could　see　down　across　the　east　valley。　The　boat　was　still　there！　All　right！　He　gave　a　shout　and　accelerated　sharply；　relief　flooding　through　him。　On　the　deck；　he　could　see　the　Spanish　fishermen；　staring　up　at　the　sky。　Despite　the　threatening　storm；　they　didn't　seem　to　be　preparing　to　leave。　Probably　they　were　waiting　for　Dodgson。
　　　　Well；　he　thought；　that　was　fine。　King　would　be　there　in　a　few　minutes。　After　working　his　wav　through　dense　jungle；　he　could　finally　see　exactly　where　he　was。　The　ridge　road　was　high；　following　the　crest　of　one　of　the　volcanic　spines。　There　was　almost　no　foliage　up　here；　and　as　the　road　twisted　and　turned；　he　had　views　across　the　entire　island。　To　the　east；　he　could　look　down　into　the　ravine；　and　the　boat　at　the　shore。　To　the　west；　he　could　look　straight　across　at　the　laboratory；　and　Malcolm's　twin　trailers　parked　near　the　far　edge　of　the　clearing。
　　　　They　never　did　find　out　what　the　hell　Malcolm　was　doing　here；　he　thought。　Not　that　it　mattered　now。　King　was　getting　off　the　island。　That　was　the　only　thing　that　mattered。　He　could　almost　feel　the　deck　beneath　his　feet。　Maybe　one　of　the　fishermen　would　even　have　a　beer。　A　nice　cold　beer；　while　they　chugged　down　the　river；　and　pulled　out　of　this　damned　island。　He'd　toast　Dodgson；　is　what　he'd　do。
　　　　Maybe；　he　thought；　I'll　have　two　beers。

King　came　around　a　curve；　and　saw　a　herd　of　animals　standing　thickly　in　the　road。　They　were　some　kind　of　green　dinosaurs；　about　four　feet　tall；　with　big　domed　heads　and　a　bunch　of　little　horns。　They　reminded　him　of　green　water　buffalo。　But　there　were　a　lot　of　them。　He　braked　sharply；　the　car　swerved　to　a　stop。
　　　　The　green　dinosaurs　looked　at　his　car；　but　they　did　not　move。　The　herd　just　stood　there　in　a　lazy；　contented　way。　King　waited；　drumming　his　fingers　on　the　steering　wheel。　When　nothing　happened；　he　honked　the　horn；　and　flashed　his　headlights。
　　　　The　animals　just　stared。
　　　　They　were　funny…looking　creatures；　with　that　smooth　bulging　curve　on　the　forehead　and　all　those　little　horns　around　it。　They　just　stared　at　him；　with　a　stupid　cow…like　look。　He　slipped　the　car　into　gear　and　edged　it　forward　slowly；　expecting　that　he　could　push　his　way　through　the　animals。　They　didn't　move　aside。　Finally　his　front　bumper　nudged　the　nearest　animal；　which　grunted；　took　a　couple　of　steps　back；　lowered　its　head；　and　butted　the　front　of　the　car；　hard；　with　a　metallic　clang！
　　　　Christ；　he　thought。　It　could　puncture　the　radiator；　if　he　wasn't　careful。　He　stopped　the　car　again　and　waited；　the　motor　idling。　The　animals　settled　down　again。
　　　　Several　of　them　lay　down　on　the　road。　He　couldn't　drive　over　them。　He　looked　ahead　toward　the　river　and　saw　the　boat；　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　He　hadn't　realized　it　was　so　near。　As　he　watched；　he　realized　that　the　fishermen　were　very　busy　on　the　deck。　They　were　swinging　the　crane　back；　lashing　it　down。　They　were　getting　ready　to　leave！
　　　　The　hell　with　waiting；　he　thought。　He　opened　the　door；　and　climbed　out；　leaving　the　car　in　the　center　of　the　road。　Immediately；　the　animals　jumped　to　their　feet；　and　the　nearest　one　charged　him。　He　had　the　door　open；　the　animal　smashed　into　it；　slamming　it　shut；　leaving　a　deep　dent　in　the　metal。　King　scrambled　toward　the　edge　of　the　hill；　only　to　find　he　was　at　the　top　of　a　steep　vertical　descent　of　more　than　a　hundred　feet。　He'd　never　make　it　down；　at　least　not　here。　Farther　along；　the　slope　was　not　so　steep。　But　now　more　animals　were　charging　him。　He　had　no　choice。　He　ran　around　the　back　of　the　car；　just　as　another　animal　smashed　into　the　rear　taillight；　shattering　the　plastic。
　　　　A　third　animal　charged　the　back　of　the　car　directly。　King　scrambled　up　onto　the　spare　tire；　as　the　animal　slammed　into　the　bumper。　The　jolt　knocked　him　off；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground；　rolling；　while　the　buffaloes　snorted　all　around　him。　He　got　to　his　feet　and　ran　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　Toad；　where　there　was　a　slight　rise；　he　scrambled　up　it；　moving　into　foliage。　The　animals　did　not　pursue　him。　Not　that　it　did　him　any　good…now　he　was　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　road！
　　　　Somehow　he　had　to　get　back　to　the　other　side。
　　　　He　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　rise　and　started　down；　swearing　to　himself。　He　decided　to　work　his　way　forward　a　hundred　yards　or　so；　until　he　was　beyond　the　butting　animals；　and　then　cross　the　road。　If　he　could　do　that；　then　he　could　get　to　the　boat。
　　　　Almost　immediately；　he　was　surrounded　by　dense　jungle。　He　tripped；　tumbled　down　a　muddy　slope；　and　when　he　got　to　his　feet　was　no　longer　sure　which　way　t