Read Online Dinosaur Stakeout by Judith Silverthorne - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Judith Silverthorne
Tags: Time travel, Dinosaurs, Paleontologists, Glossary, T-Rex, Brontosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Tryceratops, Old Friends
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the yard.
“Ahh! A secret. What are you really up to?” Todd said, suspiciously, as Craig arrived.
“Nothing much. I just want an early start is all.” He shrugged his shoulders and pretended what he wanted wasn’t any big deal. All he needed was for his cover to be blown!
“Think you’re about to find something special after today’s digging?” asked Craig, keenly interested.
“Yeah,” Daniel said reluctantly. “It does have to do with a little paleontology research.” That was the truth. So what, if they thought it had to do with the quarry? He was going to relatively the same place, only a few million years earlier.
“Sure, I guess,” Craig said. Todd nodded.
“Only what if someone asks where you are?” Todd eyed Daniel apprehensively. “Do we tell them?”
Daniel tried to act nonchalant. “Sure. If I’m not there, then I’ll be at my hideout.” He figured that if anyone went to look for him and couldn’t find him at one place, it would take them a while to look in the other. He could always say he had gone off prospecting, or was somewhere in between the two places.
As Daniel left to feed the horses, he could feel Craig’s curious eyes on him. His heart pounded in his chest. So far, so good, the chores were covered. Now he just had to devise the rest of the plan. He’d noticed there were quite a few sandwiches left over from lunch today, so he could probably snag a few without anyone noticing. He had a back-up plan in mind too. Whistling, he finished his chores.
He still was whistling as he headed back to the house, where he encountered Pederson.
“You seem mighty pleased about something, lad,” Pederson stared at him in sudden surprise. “Anything you’d like to share?
“Just plenty of exciting things going on, I guess.” Daniel skirted a direct answer.
Pederson squinted at Daniel disbelievingly, but said nothing for a few moments.
“So, what’s the next step with the Stygimoloch ?” asked Daniel, trying to divert attention from himself.
“We definitely need more of the overburden removed to get to the entire skeleton.”
“Let me help,” Daniel suggested.
“No, you’re not ready.”
“But...”
Suddenly, Daniel became quiet. He didn’t want to promise to go too early in the morning, as he didn’t know when he’d return from the past. He shrugged.
“Okay, I’ll give myself another day.”
Pederson looked at him in surprise for a few moments, but then turned to acknowledge Dr. Roost, who had joined them again. Daniel stayed with them politely for a few minutes, but he was anxious to double-check that he had everything, and to pack. While the adults talked, he thought about his plans. With all the extra people around the farm these days and the Nelwins covering for him, his absence would probably go unnoticed. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if he could find a Stygimoloch and maybe even get a photograph?
Mr Pederson gave him a gentle poke in the ribs. “Right, Daniel?”
Daniel brought his focus back to Mildred Roost and Mr. Pederson. He didn’t have a clue what they were discussing.
“Uh, sorry, sir. What were you saying?” he asked, realizing they were both staring at him.
“Nothing important, lad. You looked like you were millions of miles from here. What are you thinking about so intensely?”
Daniel’s thought whirled. What could he say?
“The Stygimoloch ,” he blurted out. “I was just imagining what they might be like in real life.” He stumbled over his explanation. “For no particular reason.” Every time he opened his mouth, he was making it worse.
Mildred Roost stared at Daniel curiously, her interest radar suddenly perking up. He shifted uncomfortably. She shot Daniel another questioning look. Pederson’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t say anything.
Daniel added quickly, “I just think they’re interesting is all.”
“I agree,” said Dr. Roost.
She seemed about to say
“Ahh! A secret. What are you really up to?” Todd said, suspiciously, as Craig arrived.
“Nothing much. I just want an early start is all.” He shrugged his shoulders and pretended what he wanted wasn’t any big deal. All he needed was for his cover to be blown!
“Think you’re about to find something special after today’s digging?” asked Craig, keenly interested.
“Yeah,” Daniel said reluctantly. “It does have to do with a little paleontology research.” That was the truth. So what, if they thought it had to do with the quarry? He was going to relatively the same place, only a few million years earlier.
“Sure, I guess,” Craig said. Todd nodded.
“Only what if someone asks where you are?” Todd eyed Daniel apprehensively. “Do we tell them?”
Daniel tried to act nonchalant. “Sure. If I’m not there, then I’ll be at my hideout.” He figured that if anyone went to look for him and couldn’t find him at one place, it would take them a while to look in the other. He could always say he had gone off prospecting, or was somewhere in between the two places.
As Daniel left to feed the horses, he could feel Craig’s curious eyes on him. His heart pounded in his chest. So far, so good, the chores were covered. Now he just had to devise the rest of the plan. He’d noticed there were quite a few sandwiches left over from lunch today, so he could probably snag a few without anyone noticing. He had a back-up plan in mind too. Whistling, he finished his chores.
He still was whistling as he headed back to the house, where he encountered Pederson.
“You seem mighty pleased about something, lad,” Pederson stared at him in sudden surprise. “Anything you’d like to share?
“Just plenty of exciting things going on, I guess.” Daniel skirted a direct answer.
Pederson squinted at Daniel disbelievingly, but said nothing for a few moments.
“So, what’s the next step with the Stygimoloch ?” asked Daniel, trying to divert attention from himself.
“We definitely need more of the overburden removed to get to the entire skeleton.”
“Let me help,” Daniel suggested.
“No, you’re not ready.”
“But...”
Suddenly, Daniel became quiet. He didn’t want to promise to go too early in the morning, as he didn’t know when he’d return from the past. He shrugged.
“Okay, I’ll give myself another day.”
Pederson looked at him in surprise for a few moments, but then turned to acknowledge Dr. Roost, who had joined them again. Daniel stayed with them politely for a few minutes, but he was anxious to double-check that he had everything, and to pack. While the adults talked, he thought about his plans. With all the extra people around the farm these days and the Nelwins covering for him, his absence would probably go unnoticed. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if he could find a Stygimoloch and maybe even get a photograph?
Mr Pederson gave him a gentle poke in the ribs. “Right, Daniel?”
Daniel brought his focus back to Mildred Roost and Mr. Pederson. He didn’t have a clue what they were discussing.
“Uh, sorry, sir. What were you saying?” he asked, realizing they were both staring at him.
“Nothing important, lad. You looked like you were millions of miles from here. What are you thinking about so intensely?”
Daniel’s thought whirled. What could he say?
“The Stygimoloch ,” he blurted out. “I was just imagining what they might be like in real life.” He stumbled over his explanation. “For no particular reason.” Every time he opened his mouth, he was making it worse.
Mildred Roost stared at Daniel curiously, her interest radar suddenly perking up. He shifted uncomfortably. She shot Daniel another questioning look. Pederson’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t say anything.
Daniel added quickly, “I just think they’re interesting is all.”
“I agree,” said Dr. Roost.
She seemed about to say
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