"Don't they care?" Arby said. "They're not even looking at him,"
"Don't be fooled," Levine said, "the apatosaurs care very much. They may look like gigantic cows, but they're nothing of the sort. Those whiptails are thirty or forty feet long, and weigh several tons. Notice how fast they can swing them. One smack from those tails would snap an attacker's back."
"So turning away is part of their defense?"
"Unquestionably, yes. And you can see now how the long necks balance their tails."
The tails of the adults were so long, they reached entirely across the river, to the other shore. As they swung back and forth, and the parasaurs cried out, the lead raptor turned away. Moments later, the entire pack began to slink off, following the edge of the trees, heading up into the hills.
"Looks like you're right," Thorne said. "The tails scared them off."
"How many do you count?" Levine said.
"I don't know. Ten. No, wait - fourteen. Maybe more. I might have missed a few."
"Fourteen." Malcolm scribbled in his notebook.
"You want to follow them?" Levine said.
"Not now."
"We could take the Explorer."
"Maybe later," Malcolm said.
"I think we need to know where their nest is," Levine said. "It's essential, Ian, if we're going to settle predator-prey relationships. Nothing is more important than that. And this is a perfect opportunity to follow - "
"Maybe later," Malcolm said. He checked his watch again.
"That's the hundredth time you've checked your watch today," Thorne said.
Malcolm shrugged. "Getting to be lunchtime," he said. "By the way, what about Sarah? Shouldn't she be arriving soon?"
"Yes. I imagine she'll show up any time now," Thorne said.
Malcolm wiped his forehead. "It's hot up here."
"Yes, it's hot."
They listened to the buzzing of insects in the midday sun, and watched the raptors retreat.
"You know, I'm thinking," Malcolm said. "Maybe we ought to go back."
"Go back?" Levine said. "Now? What about our observations? What about the other cameras we want to place and - "
"I don't know, maybe it'd be good to take a break."
Levine stared at him in disbelief. He said nothing.
Thorne and the kids looked at Malcolm silently.
"Well, it seems to me," Malcolm said, "that if Sarah's coming all the way from Africa, we should be there to greet her." He shrugged. "I think it's simple politeness."
Thorne said, "I didn't realize that, uh…"
"No, no," Malcolm said quickly. "It's nothing like that. I just, uh…You know, maybe she's not even coming." He looked suddenly uncertain. "Did she say she was coming?"
"She said she'd think about it."
Malcolm frowned. "Then she's coming. If Sarah said that she's corning. I know her. So. What do you say, want to go back?"
"Certainly not," Levine said, peering through binoculars. "I wouldn't dream of leaving here now."
Malcolm turned. "Doc? Want to go back?"
"Sure," Thorne said, wiping his forehead. "It's hot."
"If I know Sarah," Malcolm said, climbing down the scaffolding, she's going to show up on this island just looking great."
Cave
She struggled upward, and her head broke the surface, but she saw only water - great swells rising fifteen feet above her, on all sides. The power of the ocean was immense. The surge dragged her forward, then back, and she was helpless to resist. She could not see the boat anywhere, only foaming sea, on all sides. She could not see the island, only water. Only water. She fought a sense of overwhelming panic.
She tried to kick against the current, but her boots were leaden. She sank down again, and struggled back, gasping for air. She had to get her boots off, somehow. She gulped a breath and ducked her head under the water, and tried to unlace the boots. Her lungs burned as she fumbled with the knots. The ocean swept her back and forth, ceaselessly
She got one boot off, gulped air, and ducked down again. Her fingers were stiff with cold and fright, as she worked on the other boot. It seemed to take hours. Finally her legs were free, light, and she dogpaddled, catching her breath. The surge lifted her high, dropped her again. She could not see the island. She felt panic again. She turned, and felt the surge lift once more. And then she saw the island
The sheer cliffs were close, frighteningly close. The waves boomed as they smashed against the rocks. She was no more than fifty yards offshore, being swept inexorably toward the crashing surf On the next crest, she saw the cave, a hundred yards to her right. She tried to swim toward it, but it was hopeless. She had no power at all to move in this gigantic surf. She felt only the strength of the sea, sweeping her to the Cliffs.