A lot of our volunteers are students or teachers, so we wait for summer break.
We lapsed into silence as we finished our sandwiches. The air shimmered with heat. I felt like I was melting, and my eyes wanted to close. Soon people headed to their tents. I hesitated, feeling like I should be doing some detective work. But for the moment everyone was safely tucked away. I decided to lie down for a few minutes and then come out to keep an eye on things.
Bess and George followed me back to the tent. I crouched and unzipped the flap. Under the noise of the zipper I heard a strange sound. I paused a moment, trying to identify it. A dry rattle, like seeds in a gourd. Where was it coming from?
I shrugged and finished unzipping the tent. As the flap fell open, the sound got louder.
Zhhh-zhh-zhhh!
It was coming from inside the tent!
I looked in. I saw a raised head, coiled body, and shaking tail.
I was staring at a rattlesnake.
Rattled
My breath stopped while my heart raced. I couldnt move, even though I felt the adrenaline surging through my bent legs.
Behind me Bess stepped closer. Whats that noise?
Get back! I croaked. I sensed rather than saw George grab Bess and the two of them carefully retreat.
The rattler had to be at least three feet long, and two inches thick. It lay smack on the middle sleeping bag, coiled up, with its head and tail raised. I stared into its unblinking eyes. Its tongue flicked in and out. Every few seconds it paused in its rattling, then started up again, the tail tip a blur.
Chills ran up and down my spine and sweat poured down my face. I took a shallow breath and reached one hand behind me. Slowly I shifted back until I was sitting on the ground. I inched my way back, making no sudden movements, though my pounding heart was telling me to leap up and run.
The rattler shifted and slithered a little closer. It was all I could do not to scream.
George stepped around the tent with a stick in her hands. She poked the back of the tent, rustling the fabric.
The snake turned and lashed out at the movement. I rolled backward, leaped to my feet, and took two more big steps back. Bess put her arms around me. I leaned against her, shaking, with my legs like rubber.
I took deep breaths, trying to calm down. George came around to join us, her face pale and glistening with sweat. I slowly turned my head back toward the tent. I had to force myself to look at the snake again. I imagined it lunging at me, then pushed the thought away.
I cleared my throat. Suggestions? My voice sounded funny.
We all stared at the snake. George said without enthusiasm, On the wildlife TV shows sometimes they use a forked stick
Im not going near that thing, Bess said firmly. We get Kyle. Hes in charge; he can deal with the snake.
Felix was tidying up his cooking gear, so we asked him which one was Kyles tent. The flap was open, and when we called his name, Kyle sat up yawning. Do you need something?
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Advice, George said. How do you get a rattlesnake out of a tent?
Kyle frowned as if pondering a riddle. How do you His eyes popped open. What? Do you mean are you serious?
I managed a smile. Sorry to disturb you, but we could use some help.
Yes, sure. He crawled out and stood up. Youre sure its a rattler?
Well, it was rattling, I said. Just the memory of the sound made me shiver.
Kyle nodded. Wed better get Tom. He collected Tom and they borrowed one of the giant plastic tubs Felix used for food storage. Back at our tent, they peered inside.
Boy, thats a rattler all right, Kyle said. A big one too.
Its a beauty, Tom said.
George whispered, A beauty? and rolled her eyes.
Well, thank goodness it wasnt an ugly one, I muttered.
Tom put the tub on its side against the tent entrance. Rattlers like dark, enclosed spaces. If we annoy it, it will go into the tub for safety.
Kyle peered through a side vent to keep an eye on the snake. Tom went to the back of the tent and pounded his hands against the nylon.
Nothing yet, Kyle said. Hes just hunkered down.
Tom grabbed the tent poles and started shaking the tent.
Why dont you just dump the tent out? George asked.
We dont want your gear to go into the tub with the snake, Tom answered.
Good plan, Bess whispered.
Tom shook the tent and stomped his feet for a couple of minutes. Finally Kyle called out, Hes moving! Hes heading for the tub. Just another foot Hes in!
Kyle and Tom rushed around the sides of the tent and flipped up the tub. They peered inside. Boy, its not happy, Tom said. We could hear it moving and rattling, but didnt get close enough to watch.
Lets put him in the Land Rover, and Ill drive him a couple miles away, Kyle said. He picked up one end of the tub and Tom grabbed the other. Sorry about this, Kyle added. Weve never had a snake in camp before.
It was probably just looking for shade, Tom added. Make sure you keep your tent flap zipped when youre gone. That should prevent any more nasty surprises. They headed off to the Land Rover.
I looked at my friends. Does anyone think that snake got in there by itself?
Bess shook her head. George said, No way. That tent flap was zipped. She tipped her head to one side. Tom sure was good with the snake. You could tell hed handled them before.
He knew what he was doing, all right, I said. But would he let us see his expertise if he was responsible?
He couldnt refuse when Kyle asked him to help, Bess pointed out. That would have made Kyle suspicious. Kyle didnt seem fazed by the snake either. Maybe they find snakes all the time on these digs. She shuddered.
I frowned. Tom was at the dig all morning.
He might have slipped away for a few minutes during lunch, George suggested. And dont forget about Jimmy. He had all morning to prowl around here, and if he lives out here, hes probably used to snakes and knows where to find them.
Other people here might be good with snakes too. I sighed. We have a lot of work to do. But I have to lie down for a few minutes. I still feel all jittery.
Me too. Bess glared into the tent. Im trying to forget that the snake was on my sleeping bag.
You know, maybe we should check the insides of our bags, just to be safe, George said. Bess moaned. We picked up our sleeping bags, held them at arms length, and shook them out. Then just to be sure, we felt them from bottom to top, checking for lumps.
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Finally we all settled down. George adjusted the tent flaps for maximum airflow. I lay back and took deep breaths to relax my jangled nerves. Dont let me fall asleep, I said.
George yawned. No way.
How could we sleep after that? Bess mumbled.
All right, I guess I slept. Thats the only way I can explain the dream. Cartoon dinosaurs hid behind our tent, asking for help. Tom turned into a snake and hissed at me. I awoke with a gasp.
What? George mumbled. She sat up, yawning and blinking. Shoot, she said. I shouldve set an alarm.
Bess sighed and rubbed her eyes. I needed that.
I guess I did too. Oh well, a long afternoon nap meant it would be easier to stay awake at night. Thats probably when anything would happen.
We joined the others and hiked back to the dig site. It still felt hot, but at least the sun was at an angle so you could find shade.
As we neared the site, I heard a strange noise. A kind of chugging rumble. At first I thought it was thunder, but it was too long and steady. Hear that? I asked.
George frowned. Some kind of car?
Bess had the answer, of course. Sounds like an ATV an all-terrain vehicle.
You mean we have visitors out here?
Kyle picked up speed. George, Bess, and I hurried after him.
As we broke out into the hollow, I saw the ATV parked up on the cliff ahead. Then I saw the two men standing over the rock that had been damaged.
Kyle charged toward them like a bull. What are you doing? he bellowed.
Twin Troublemakers
The men looked up with friendly smiles and stepped toward us. They must have been around twenty. Both had blond hair and strangely light gray eyes. They were tall, lean, and good-looking. It took me a minute to decide that they werent actually twins, although they had to be brothers. One was a bit taller and broader, with an air of leadership, so I guessed he was older.
Something struck me as familiar about them, but I knew Id never seen them before. Maybe it was just seeing the two of them, so much alike, that gave that sense of déjà vu.
The first one said, Hi! I hope were not disturbing anything. We were just looking around.
How did you find us? Kyle demanded.
The guy kept his friendly grin. We didnt. You found us. We wondered where the people were.
I mean how did you find this site?
He gestured toward the ATV. We were just tooling around in our little buggy and saw this stuff. We wondered what you could possibly be doing, out here in the middle of the desert.
Kyle crossed his arms. Thats my question exactly. You know this is federal land.
The stranger kept smiling. Yes, and I know its legal for me to be here. This area isnt restricted.
It may be legal, Kyle admitted, but its still a bad idea. Off-road vehicles cause erosion, damage the vegetation, and disturb the wildlife.
The guy shrugged. Youre entitled to your opinion too.
The younger brother hadnt spoken yet. He just watched everything with those pale eyes. The rest of the volunteers had gathered around us and were listening to the exchange. Bess sauntered toward the ATV. She stood at the base of the cliff and looked up at it.
The younger brother walked over to her and they spoke for a minute. Then he led her toward the end of the hollow, and helped her scramble up a path to the top of the cliff. A minute later she was examining the vehicle.
I knew Bess was doing her best to find out everything she could about the vehicle. George, meanwhile, had pulled out her digital camera and was casually taking a few pictures. I turned my attention back to the first brother, who was asking about the fossils. Kyle still looked unhappy, but I guess he couldnt do much. He had no real reason to think that these men were thieves.
The older brother crouched and examined the bones Russell and George had partially uncovered. How do you know whats what? he asked. I mean, how do you know when youve found something valuable?
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Experience, Kyle said brusquely. And were not treasure hunters. Were looking for scientific evidence.
The young man looked up and grinned. Sure. I meant valuable to scientists. Who else would care about a bunch of old bones?
Kyles expression almost made me laugh. Finally he said, Thats right. Theyre not much use to anyone else. No value at all. But we should get back to our pointless work. And Im sure you have other things to do.
This time the guy took the hint. I guess so. Thanks. He gave a cheerful wave and joined his brother by their vehicle. Bess exchanged a few laughing words with him, then headed back down the path. Kyle watched them all solemnly. The ATV backed up and pulled away in a cloud of dust.
When Bess joined us, Kyle hissed, Did you see anything in their car? Anything that might be a fossil?
No, Bess said. They have a toolbox in the back, but I couldnt get a look inside it. Ill know the tire tracks, though, if I see them again.
Kyles eyes widened. I suppressed a chuckle. Guys are always fooled by Besss girly exterior. Its fun to watch when they realize that theres a sharp mechanical mind inside the pretty, model-like exterior.
George was oblivious to the exchange of smiles. She stepped up to Kyle and said, So, can we switch places? Im ready to try something different.
Kyle looked around, noticing for the first time that everyone had been waiting and watching him for the last ten minutes. He took off his hat and ran his hands through his hair. Right. Lets see what needs to be done.
He started at the damaged fossil, where Steffi and Grayson had been plastering. He crouched, poked at the plaster, and then bent to look under the edge. Nice work, you guys. This ones ready for flipping. Lets do that first, so everyone can watch.
He looked around. Wheres Abby? She had disappeared. Kyle frowned. Didnt she come back with us after lunch?
Im sure she did, I said. Id checked for everyone.
Maybe she forgot something and went back, Bess said.
She worked on this, so I dont want her to miss it, Kyle said. Well give her a few minutes. But I want to get the other side plastered today.
He stood and looked at the other fossils under excavation. He deemed Russell and Georges ready for plastering.
Tom and I hadnt been quite so successful. Kyle pointed out areas between the bones where we could remove more rock. Plus, he wanted us to go a little deeper into the ground. This leg bone is going to be thick. Well want to dig down at least six inches underneath it.
I paced restlessly. How could I stay interested in bones when I had a mystery to solve?
Bess sidled over to me. Whats up?
I want to look for clues, but Im not even sure what kind of clues to look for. I gazed around the hollow. What kind of clues would a fossil thief leave behind?
If its Tom, probably nothing. Since hes supposed to be here, footprints or dropped items dont mean anything.
True. But what about tire tracks? I took a deep breath. All right, heres our first question. Did the thief take the fossil away on foot or in a vehicle?
Bess frowned. I thought it had to be by foot, but now that Ive seen that ATV out here
Tom said jacketed fossils weigh fifty pounds and up. That sounds like a lot to me, but he said they carry the lighter ones out in backpacks. The piece of the fossil that broke off probably wasnt that heavy, but they may have hoped to get the whole thing. Either way, it would be easier to use a vehicle. We know now that an ATV can drive up from just about anywhere. Lets look for tire tracks all around the rim.
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People will wonder what were doing.
I shrugged. Judging by the snake, Id say someone already knows were investigating.
We scrambled up the path Bess had used before, and we looked at the tracks left by the two young men. Kyle was right; those ATVs do tear up the landscape, I said. And this dry ground would show the tracks for days.
Theres more than one turn, but they may have circled around a couple of times for fun, Bess said. Heading out from here, it looks like just one set out and one back, but if they drove over the same path, you might not see the older tracks.
So nothing definite, unfortunately.
We scrambled down into the streambed to complete the circle. No more tracks, I said. Unless they parked farther away and walked the last part.
Look, here comes Abby. Bess pointed. Abby was hurrying down the streambed from the direction of camp. We climbed down the cliff edge to meet her.
What are you doing? she snapped.
I stared at her, wondering why she suddenly seemed so rude. Um just looking around.
Kyle has been waiting for you, Bess said.
I had to go to the bathroom, Abby mumbled. She pushed past us.
Bess and I raised our eyebrows at each other. What got into her? Bess whispered.
I glanced at my watch. Abby was gone more than twenty minutes. Maybe she isnt feeling well.
She wouldnt have had time to go back to camp, so she couldnt have been there.
I shrugged and we went back to the group.
Kyle looked up as Abby approached. Oh, there you are, he said. Good. Lets get this jacket turned over.
He grabbed a long pry bar and slid it into the gap beneath the jacket. He glanced at Grayson and Abby. I hope you dont mind if I take over now?
Please, Grayson said. I wouldnt want to be responsible.
Abby just nodded. She seemed distracted, or maybe she really was sick.
Kyle worked carefully, wriggling the pry bar and moving it to different spots. There definitely seemed to be an art to the whole thing. The plastered fossil broke free with a crack, and the audience cheered. Steffi jumped forward with a small cargo net and laid it next to the jacket. All right, lets get the muscle in here.
Kyle and Tom crouched next to her. Kyle counted off One two THREE! and with a collective grunt the three of them turned over the jacket so it lay on the cargo net.
We all stepped closer to see. The underside mostly looked like rough rock. Kyle grinned. Great job with the excavation. Theres hardly anything exposed on this side. This will make a real treasure for the museum. Kyles expression darkened suddenly. If we can get it there, he muttered. He stood up. All right. Lets finish the jacket. We need to take away a little more rock, to make it lighter, but not much this fossil is delicate. Then we can get this side plastered. He addressed Abby and Grayson. Do you two feel like working on it more?
They agreed, and Steffi got them started.
Now what should we do with the rest of you? Kyle asked.
Im ready to try some excavating, Bess said.
And I wouldnt mind jacketing, George said.
Tom broke in. Id like to scout around a bit. See what else is out here.
All right, Kyle said. Russell? Do you want to keep working where you are, or do something different?
I could use a break, he said. How about I take over Toms fossil and start the jacketing?
Kyle nodded. Sounds good. That means George can help you with the plaster. Bess, you can work on this other one. Nancy, what do you want to do?
Is it all right if I go along with Tom? Id like to get an overview of the area. And keep an eye on him.
Sure, whatever you want, Kyle said.
I pretended I didnt notice Toms scowl as I said, Im ready when you are.
Wait! George said.
I turned back quickly. Whats wrong?
George pulled out her water bottle. Better drink before you go.
I grinned and did as she suggested. Then I followed Tom to a pile of tools. He picked up a hammer with a curved head and said, Might as well grab yourself a rock hammer. Im not just going for a walk; I want to do some real work out there.
I opened my eyes wide. Of course. Im ready to help.
I took one last look around the hollow to make sure everyone was at work. Abby and Grayson had started chiseling at the underside of the fossil. Kyle was showing Bess how to use a small chisel. Steffi was explaining to George and Russell how to paint the exposed fossil with glue, to strengthen the bone, before jacketing. With Tom, that was everyone.
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I trotted after Tom as he strode out of the hollow.
We went up the dry streambed. The width varied from five to fifteen feet. The sides were mostly taller than my head. Tom slowed down and started looking more closely at the rock walls.
What exactly are you looking for? I asked.
Anything interesting. It rained here last week. We sometimes get an inch or two of rain in an hour. It pours into these channels arroyos, they call them here and suddenly youll have several feet of rushing water. Those flash floods can wash away some of the rock and expose new fossils. Id like to find another area like that hollow.
So you might see fossils right up on the surface of the ground?
Sure. Or sometimes bones sticking out of the wall.
We moved down the streambed. It got wider, and some of the rock changed. See this dark fine-grained rock? Tom said. Thats mudstone. Mud settled here millions of years ago and eventually compressed into rock. Its a great place to find impressions.
Um, impressions of what?
Well, leaves for one thing. He pointed at a design on a smooth, flat piece of rock.
I leaned closer. Sure enough, you could see the delicate veins of a leaf. Wow! You mean that was really an ancient leaf?
Not quite. The leaf didnt turn to rock, the way dinosaur bones turned to rock. Instead, the leaf left its imprint in the mud. The leaf decayed, but the impression stayed. More mud covered up the top.
He picked up a large rock that was layered like a stack of cardboard. Tom tapped the rock with his hammer, and some of the layers peeled off. Every flood put down a new layer of mud, Tom said. Each layer turned to stone. Sometimes you find imprints between the layers. Plants are most common, but you can also find dinosaur footprints.
Now, that would be cool.
He grinned at me. Absolutely. Dinosaur footprints are actually pretty common. But its still exciting to find some.
Would I even recognize them?
He shrugged. Depends. Sometimes its obvious that you have something unusual. But imagine that you have a huge, heavy dinosaur walking in the mud. The footprints are going to be smeared. You might wind up with a vague impression of the heel and three toes.
So what should I do?
Look around, and call me if you find anything odd.
Tom took one side of the streambed, and I took the other. He moved a lot faster than I did. I guess he could just glance around and spot something interesting. I had to look closely. In the next hour I called him over to examine two actual leaf prints, and maybe a dozen things that werent anything. Calling him to look at my finds kept him from getting too far ahead. I started to believe Tom really was just looking for another fossil site. He didnt seem like he was hurrying to meet anyone or get anywhere.
I crouched to examine something strange. A slab of stone stuck out from the sandy ground at an angle. Three curved grooves on the stone were half-hidden by the sand.
I brushed some of the sand away. The grooves were close together and pretty deep. It looked like someone had scratched through mud with a pencil. I didnt think it was a footprint, and it certainly wasnt a leaf impression, but I didnt know what it might be.
Tom? I looked around. I didnt see Tom anywhere. He must have gotten ahead.
I didnt want to leave; I was afraid I wouldnt be able to find the scratches again. I cupped my hands around my mouth and hollered, Tom!
The desert was eerily silent. No, not silent for the first time I noticed a low buzz that seemed to vibrate through the air. Insects, no doubt, though I couldnt tell what kind or where they were. The sound seemed to be all around me, like something out of a horror movie.
A scuffling noise broke through the buzzing. Something on the cliff above me?
What kind of animals had Steffi mentioned? I ducked closer to the cliff wall to stay out of sight. I considered calling out for Tom again but decided to stay quiet. It hit me that I was alone in the desert, a mile or more from the dig site. What if the criminals were out there and had gotten Tom? What if the criminal was Tom?
Something moved above my head. I gasped and looked up.
A cascade of rocks tumbled toward me.
No Claws for Alarm
Dust and pebbles rained onto my face. I leaped back.
A piece of the cliff fell away and crashed to the ground right where I had been standing. Large rocks tumbled past my legs, while smaller shards bounced and hit me in the arms and face.
I stumbled on the rough ground and sat down hard. I scooted backward as rocks clattered and bounced. Dust billowed up in plumes of gray, making me cough.
Finally the noise stopped. I looked up to the top of the cliff.
Tom stared down at me. Nancy! Are you all right?
I stood and backed farther away from the cliff. My heart was racing and I had a few scratches on my arms, but otherwise I felt okay. Im fine, I said shakily.
Thank goodness. Im sorry. I didnt realize the edge was so loose.
I brushed myself off and then squinted up at Tom. How did you get up there?
He gestured farther along the streambed. You can climb up a little way ahead. I wanted to get higher so I could see landmarks. Then I heard you call out, so I came running.
You didnt have to hurry, I said. I just wanted to show you something.
Hang on, then, and Ill come back down.
He trotted off along the cliff top. I stepped closer to examine the rock. I could see where the top edge had crumbled away.
Had he been trying to hurt me? If I hadnt jumped back in time, I could be lying under that pile of rocks. I remembered the close call with the snake, and shivered. Someone was trying to scare me, or get rid of me altogether. Id have to watch my step with Tom, until I figured out if this was an accident or another attack.
He joined me, wiping sweat from his face with a bandanna. Im really sorry about that. Youre sure youre not hurt?
Mostly just dirty, I said.
He grinned. You and me both.
I looked at his dusty jeans. Did you fall too?
When the rock gave way under my foot, I fell backward. He held out his hands, which were scraped and bleeding. But I guess it was better than falling over the cliff.
Definitely, I said, but you should still clean those scrapes. Here, let me get some water.
I pulled out my water bottle and splashed some over his hands. Thanks, he said, drying them on the bandanna. Now, what did you want to show me?
Oh, right. Well have to clear away some of these rocks. We rolled the biggest boulder out of the way and tossed aside some smaller rocks. I kept glancing up at the cliff, but it stayed in place. Finally I uncovered the scratch marks. Are these anything interesting?
He crouched next to me. Hey, this is great! He dug at the sandy ground until he had exposed the bottom of the scratches. These are claw drag marks.
Oh?
Imagine a giant lizard, with long claws. He held out his hand, with the three middle finger hooked like claws. When it takes a step, the foot drags back, leaving claw marks. He demonstrated, dragging his hand across the sand and leaving three grooves.
I tried to imagine a giant lizard walking through the streambed, dragging its feet and leaving claw marks for me to find millions of years later. I smiled. So, can you tell what made them? Was it a dinosaur?
Probably not an actual dinosaur, but maybe a phytosaur. That was an early version of a crocodile. They lived in the Triassic, but mostly in the water, while the dinosaurs were on land. He grinned at me. Its still an excellent find. Lets see what else we have here.
We scraped around in the sand, looking for anything similar. We found a few more claw marks. Then Tom swept some debris off of a flat rock and exposed a long, twisting mark. He sat back on his heels and frowned at it for a minute. Ive never seen one in the Triassic before, but I think this might be a tail mark. The museum would definitely want to collect that.
Thats great, I said. I feel like a real paleontologist.
Tom stood and craned his neck to see out of the streambed. Wed better head back now. The sun is getting pretty low. Just let me mark our location. He punched some buttons on his GPS and then we headed for the dig. This time we stayed together and walked quickly, without looking for fossils.
Im glad you came with me, Tom said. At first I thought Id cover more ground on my own. But you definitely did more than your fair share. Thanks for all your help!
After finding this, will you be leading the next dig? I asked.
Tom grinned. Could be. First Ill probably come out with one of my professors to take a closer look. If the site looks promising, we may do a real dig.
Maybe youll find one of those important fossils, like the one that was damaged, I hinted. That would get you started on the road to fame, right?
He shrugged. That fossil is important if youre a paleontologist. Most people have never heard of a Coelophysis, so its not really big news.
But I thought it was valuable.
Oh, sure. It would fetch thousands from a museum, maybe even more from the right collector. But its no Tyrannosaurus rex to excite the public. Anyway, its not my specialty. Im more interested in those marks you found.
You mean your specialty is footprints? I thought paleontologists were all pretty much the same.
He laughed at my surprise. Youd be amazed at how specialized we get. People become experts on specific dinosaurs, certain types of prehistoric plants, or even on coprolite fossil dung. Even that gets preserved and studied!
