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Petra quickly stepped in to smooth things over。
〃It may happen again。 You know how badly Sid reacts when he feels trapped。〃
〃One way or another they will move；〃 Dr。 Coombs said。 〃When the vegetation dries up they will start searching for another food source。 This land barely supports the little livestock we've seen。 When these animals start to move； they won't survive long。 If the local vegetation doesn't kill them； the local ranchers will。〃
〃Well then；〃 Dr。 Coombs said。 〃Let's see what we're dealing with。〃
They loaded day packs with lunch and water and then spread out along the lush clearing； walking through the knee…high grass。 Sid and friends circled them； chasing ahead and then dropping behind and blending into the bright green of the grasses so quickly it was hard to spot them。 Dr； Piltcher's frustration grew with each fleeting glance of something disappearing into the grass； and he began whispering about setting snares and traps to get a better look at the fauna。 They were near the taller bushes when Colter dove into the grass again； wrestling with another animal。
〃Colter； the last thing we need is another psittacosaurus；〃 Df。 Piltcher warned while he stomped through the turf。
〃This one's different 。 。 。 bigger。 Hey； ow； ow； ow！ You little bastard。〃
〃Don't hurt it！〃 Petra shouted。
〃I'm the one getting hurt。 Now I've got you！〃
Colter struggled to his feet with something wriggling violently in his arms。 This time Colter stood holding an animal a foot longer than Sid。 The animal had a large bony collar around its neck and a head that was a third of its body size。 The parrotlike snout curved over the lower jaw； but the overhang was much less than Sid's。 The animal's short； stocky legs were all the same size； clearly indicating a quadriped。 Its body…bulky and ending in a thick tail…was covered with gray…green skin。
〃It looks like a baby stegosaurus；〃 Petra said；
〃I don't think so； wrong suborder。 More likely a ceratopsian；〃 Dr。 Coombs replied。 〃I believe this is full grown。〃 Dr。 Coombs paused； looking concerned。 〃We better hope so； I'd hate to be holding a baby if the mother showed up。〃
Colter glanced around quickly； and then looked as if he might put the dinosaur down。
〃Don't let it go just yet；〃 Dr。 Piltcher said。 〃It's beautiful。〃
〃It's heavy；〃 Colter responded。
〃It's not a baby stegosaur；〃 Dr。 Piltcher corrected。 〃I believe it is a microceratops。〃
〃This one's not much bigger than Sid；〃 Petra said。
〃It's heavy；〃 Colter reminded them。
〃Put it in the RV； Colter；〃 Dr。 Coombs said。 〃We'll look at it later。〃
As Colter walked off he shouted over his shoulder； 〃This time I'm putting down some papers。〃
When he was out of earshot Dr。 Piltcher turned to Dr。 Coombs and said in a low voice； 〃I bet he names it Mike。〃
Overhearing； Petra snickered and then walked off toward the hedge； Dr。 Coombs and Dr。 Piltcher following。 Creatures continued to dart through the grass； and soon Dr。 Piltcher's frustration returned。 Even though he didn't like Colter； he found himself envying him。 He was turning out to be a crackerjack dinosaur catcher； too dumb to know there was any danger。
The tall bushes were too dense to pass through； but soon they came to a narrow opening and prepared to walk through single file。 Petra was about to enter when Dr。 Coombs held her arm。
〃What do you think made this path？〃
As Petra looked she saw the branches of the bushes were broken and the grasses trampled。 Dr。 Piltcher knelt； studying the grass。 Then he looked up at the others。
〃Something bigger than Sid；〃 he said。
Their curiosity was greater than their fears and Dr。 Coombs led the way。 As the undergrowth thinned； the movements below ended； and they began to walk more casually。 The doctors paused occasionally； examining various bushes and arguing over classification。 Petra continued to be amazed by their range of knowledge but wondered if a real specialist would quickly spot holes in it。
Now they could see the lake shimmering in the distance。 They were about to move toward it when Dr。 Coombs motioned them into the shadows of an overhanging bush； where they squatted expectantly。 Something about six feet high was moving ahead of them； through the bush and across their path。 The animal was hard to see but it seemed to have a long thin neck and walked upright。 It moved slowly； apparently unaware of their presence。 As it drew close； the explorers involuntarily held their breaths； but it continued its easygoing stride。 It was just about out of sight when the bushes behind them parted and something came through。 They all jumped up； spinning to meet the threat…Colter。
Petra gasped； and then pounded her fists gently on his chest。 〃Don't do that；〃 she whispered。
Dr。 Piltcher and Dr。 Coombs were as relieved as Petra。
〃Is the microceratops secure？〃 Dr。 Piltcher asked。
〃Sarah is as secure as I could make her。 She may be slower than Sid； but she's a lot stronger。〃
〃You named the microceratops Sarah？ Not Mike？〃
〃You don't call a girl by a boy's name。〃
〃How do you know it's female？〃 Dr。 Piltcher asked。
〃Because when it peed all over the floor of the RV； it squatted。〃
Dr。 Piltcher shook his head at Colter's logic； but didn't argue。
〃Did you give the poor thing something to eat？〃 Petra asked。
〃Two apples； and a pile of Ritz crackers。 I gave Moose some…〃 Colter paused； looking over their shoulders。 〃And who's this？〃
The others spun around to see a six…foot dinosaur standing thirty yards away。 It wasn't anything like the other dinosaurs they had seen。 Much larger； it had a huge head that was nearly all mouth。 Two small black eyes were set on。 either side of its face and large nostril holes tipped its protruding snout。 It stood on two large back legs； leaning forward with its thick tail trailing out behind。 Two thinner forelegs ended in three…fingered hands。 The body was covered with loose； wrinkled； gray…green skin； and the most noticeable feature was the wicked…looking curved claws on each finger and toe。 Colter leaned over Dr。 Piltcher's shoulder and whispered in his ear； 〃If you want me to wrestle this one to the ground； forget it。〃
Suddenly the dinosaur cocked its head to the side； as if it was listening。 The group froze； angry at Colter； while the dinosaur stared at them curiously。 There was no menace in its eyes； only interest。 Then it turned； leaned forward and trotted off through the brush； its long tail held straight out behind it。 It stopped once to look back over its shoulder。 The others remained silent until the dinosaur was out of sight。
〃Maybe we better rethink this； Chester；〃 Dr。 Coombs said。 〃That was a deinonychus。〃
〃No； I don't think so；〃 Dr。 Piltcher said too quickly。 〃More likely a stenonychosaurus；〃 He didn't say it with any conviction。
〃What aren't you telling us？〃 Petra asked。
Dr。 Coombs finally spoke reluctantly。
〃Deinonychus is a carnosaur。〃
Petra fell silent trying to think through the implications； but Colter spoke up。
〃What the hell's a carnosaur？〃
The others remained silent； so Petra turned to Colter。
〃It's a meat eater。〃
〃So？ I mean you guys didn't expect them all to be like Moose or Sid； did you？〃
Colter seemed unconcerned by their close encounter with the predator； and in many ways he was right。 Colter； who had not believed this was a piece of prehistoric past in the first place； now accepted the reality of it and the acpanying dangers the others had been denying。
Dr。 Piltcher； embarrassed； defended his actions and his ego。
〃No； I didn't think they would all be like Sid 。 。 。 the little dinosaurs。 But there was no reason to think this little patch of the past would contain any predators at all。 After all； there were no more predators then than there are today。 Only about two percent of the dinosaurs were carnivores。 That's about the same ratio as modern mammals。 How often； Colter； when you walk in the woods do you meet a bear； or a cougar？ I'd wager never。〃
〃How sure are you about the two percent？〃 Colter asked。
Dr。 Piltcher looked uncertain and Dr。 Coombs stepped in。
〃The two percent number is educated guesswork； although based on what we've encountered in such a short piece of time 。 。 。 I suppos