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〃The two percent number is educated guesswork； although based on what we've encountered in such a short piece of time 。 。 。 I suppose it could be inaccurate；〃
〃Hey； we need a rifle。 Want me to drive back to town and get one？〃 Colter offered。
〃No 。 。 。 no；〃 Dr。 Piltcher said。 〃I wouldn't want to kill one 。 。 。〃
〃Deinonychus were thought to hunt in packs； Chester；〃 Dr。 Coombs reminded him； seeming to accept Colter's idea。
Dr。 Piltcher hesitated。 〃Let's think about it。 Perhaps we should head back and talk it over。 Let's circle back this way。〃
Dr。 Piltcher pointed in the direction opposite the deinonychus's route。 They walked in silence； vigilant now for larger dinosaurs as。 well as the smaller ones。 They continued through the taller brush； curving back toward the RV； relieved when the brush thinned again and they could see farther ahead and behind。 At a section of overlapping bushes； they pushed themselves through the thick brush to a small clearing filled with a mound of leaves。 They started across； but found the mound soft； so they skirted around the outside…except for Colter； who continued on his way； his feet sinking into the surface。
〃Man； this stuff is hot；〃 he plained。
Dr。 Piltcher ignored Colter's plaint for a few steps and then stopped abruptly。 Petra； following close behind； bumped into him。
〃Colter； is it just warm from the sun； or hot？〃 Dr。 Piltcher asked。
〃It's hot。 e here and feel this。〃
Dr。 Coombs pushed his hand into the leaves。
〃It is inordinately warm。 It must be from the decay。〃
Dr。 Piltcher pushed his hand in too。
〃Well； Chester； shall we dig？〃 Dr。 Coombs asked。
〃I can't find any reason not to； but let's not dillydally。 Colter； dig down； will you？ Carefully？〃
〃What for？〃
〃Colter； dig！ Petra； you help watch。〃
Dr。 Coombs was already moving handfuls of leaves to the side。 Colter bent over at the waist and began digging dog style； throwing leaves between his legs。 Soon Dr。 Coombs adopted the more efficient posture。 They opened the top of the mound and spread out； enlarging the hole。 While the leaves on top were dry and crisp； underneath was moist decaying matter； with a pungent odor。
Colter plained about the smell but his arms never slowed until he gave another shout。
He'd found an elongated egg； eight inches in length。 Dr。 Piltcher immediately held it out to Dr。 Coombs。 They turned it slowly in their hands； feeling the smooth soft shell。
〃It's very warm；〃 Dr。 Piltcher observed。
〃Yes； because of the decay；〃 Dr。 Coombs added。 〃Very clever； really。〃
〃Hey； there's lots more。〃
They turned to see Colter holding an egg in each hand。 When Petra and the men pletely uncovered the nest they found three concentric circles of the eight…inch eggs； each one pointed toward the center of the nest。
Dr。 Piltcher sketched the layout of the eggs and then directed that the eggs be reburied while he took custody of the first one。 When they finished； the mound looked different。 It was higher now； and lumpy。
Dr。 Piltcher stopped at the edge of the clearing and put the egg on the ground； wrapped it in a sweatshirt borrowed from Dr。 Coombs； placed it inside his shirt； and then led the way out of the clearing and toward the RV。
Forty minutes after the humans left； an animal twice the size of a rhinoceros shuffled into the clearing。 She had a short thick tail and a large bony collar around her massive neck。 A long curved horn protruded from her large snout； and two smaller horns protruded from the neck collar。 Her head was huge； easily a quarter of her enormous body。 She walked on all fours； her back legs longer than her front legs； so her rear hips were higher than the front； and her head was held close to the ground； where her nose was busy smelling。 Something was wrong in the clearing。
Her eyes were weak； and she relied on her sensitive olfactory organs for most of her information。 She had smelled the mound twice a day since laying the eggs and each time the smells had been the same。 Today there was a new smell； one she had never encountered。 She pawed the center of the mound； quickly removing enough material so she could check。 They were still there。 Sweeping with her tail； she refilled the depression and smoothed over the surface。 Now she put her head to the ground and began sniffing； spiraling down the mound and toward the periphery。 She was working along the outside edge of the clearing when she smelled that one of her eggs had been there。 The smell was faint but distinct； and it was mixed with the strange smells of the mound。 She discovered her nest had been robbed。 Then she followed the smells out of her clearing。
29。 LIFE IN THE FOREST
Oh； that I could live to see the time of two times； to walk with the ancients。
…Zorostrus； before the King of Babylon
Forest； former site of Portland； Oregon
POSTQUILT： MONDAY； 7：05 A。M。 PST
Cubby automatically assumed the leader's role； now that Ripman was gone； and as John trod behind； he regretted his decision to stick with his friend。 He thought about the beach cabin。 He imagined his parents were probably headed there now and would soon be sitting around the fireplace eating crab or tossing bread crusts off the balcony to the seagulls。 Lost in thought； he nearly stumbled into Cubby； who had stopped and crouched down。
〃What's the big…〃
〃Shhhhh。〃 Cubby put his ringers to his lips。 Then he pointed over the clump of grass in front of him。 They were at the top of a long slow grade。 John stood up slowly until his eyes cleared the bush。 Their hill dropped off sharply into a little valley； with few trees but rich with the same deep green grasses and ferns beneath their feet。 Here and there in the valley； boulders stuck above the grass。 John didn't understand Cubby's caution until one boulder raised its head and looked around。
〃They look like rhinos。〃
〃More like a giant armadillo。 See； it's covered with armor plates and it doesn't have a horn like a rhino。 Look over there。〃
One of the animals was moving through the clearing； and they got glimpses of its body and tail。 It walked on all fours with its head down； its dragging tail ending in a bony sphere。
〃Did you see that tail？ It looks like a…a mace； one of those heavy…duty weapons the knights used。〃
Cubby shushed him again； and nodded； and whispered softly； 〃Let's work our way around the valley。〃
〃Good idea；〃 John whispered back。 〃Let's head due west and when we get to the Pacific we'll turn left。〃
Ignoring John； Cubby turned and led off through the trees。 As John followed； he tried to remember the map Ripman and Cubby had drawn in the dirt。 They worked their way around the little valley by going uphill； and John wondered whether this was one of the hills near Cubby's dad's church。
The big dinosaurs in the valley were the first they had seen since being chased； although many smaller lizards scuttled out of the way as they passed。 John kept thinking of the beach cabin。
The trees thickened； and as the giant redwoods once again dominated the forest the underbrush thinned to soft ferns。 As they climbed a steep slope； John decided to conserve his energy； and he lagged behind； hoping Cubby wouldn't notice。 When Cubby disappeared through the trees ahead； John was motivated to pick up his pace。 Suddenly he heard Cubby yell；
〃John！ It's here。 It's here！〃
Pushing his aching legs harder； John pumped up the hill； dodging trees。 The ground steepened and then leveled and John burst out of the forest onto a bald peak。 Cubby was shouting and pointing。 Another valley lay below them； and another hill behind that sloped down to meet the valley。 After a gap another hill sloped up out of the valley。 John followed Cubby's finger； pointed between the hills。 He had to stare hard； but there in the gap was Portland…a shimmering misty image； but undeniably Portland。
〃We found it；〃 John said out loud； 〃we made it。〃
Cubby picked John up in a bear hug and spun him around。 After they danced and whooped； they sat on the rocks and rested； eating more of their trail mix； and drinking from their canteens。 Bursting with excitement； they planned delightedly how to get into the Willamette Valley where Portland lay。 John was still talki