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d； a message appeared at the bottom of the screen。 As it scrolled up Nick realized it was essentially the message he was about to send。 It was from Dr。 Gogh。
44。 OCEAN RIDE
People of all ages will bee prisoners of the unseen。 Good times will bee times of misfortune； bitterness will replace sweetness： The wealth of nations will float in the wind；
…Zorastrus； Prophet of Babylon
Off Naples； Florida
POSTQUILT： TUESDAY； 12：00 NOON EST
Ron woke at midday to find everyone else asleep on the back of the beast。 He was thirsty； but the water had to be rationed。 Even with a deep tan； the sun burned his back。 He tried rolling over； but the sun was too bright。 Sleep eluded him； and he found himself studying the baby。
It was a magnificent animal。 It had a long neck like an elephant's trunk。 A triangular head was covered with slick gray…green skin； and it had large black eyes； with eyelids that blinked occasionally； clearing away the salt spray。
Ron was staring into the water looking for the legs when he realized the baby was moving toward him。 It swam closer and fell a little behind the mother and then swung its head to look at Ron square on。 His heart started to pound； but not from fear； from excitement。 There was curiosity in those huge round eyes； maybe even intelligence。 Ron slowly raised his head and smiled at the face； almost ready to talk to the baby； when the mother turned her head in a slow pendulous motion and made a bleating sound。 The baby immediately returned to its position in the mother's peripheral vision。 Ron felt sad when it left。
They passed out water in the early afternoon； each taking a little。 It couldn't be more than eighty degrees； yet with so little to drink it seemed like a hundred。 Ron hoped his estimate of distance was correct because if it took more than a couple of days； they would be dead of thirst。
As Ron took his turn at drinking he noticed the baby had dropped back again and was watching him。 The baby's face was nothing but taught gray…green skin； but Ron imagined he saw sadness in its eyes。 Then he realized the baby and its mother had been churning through the ocean with nothing to drink。 Was it as thirsty as he was？ he wondered。 Surely it had to be。 Ron and his family had been riding while the dinosaurs worked； and they were very thirsty。 Ron knew some animals could go long periods without water but doubted a dinosaur was like a camel。
Later that afternoon Ron was awakened from a light doze by Rosa talking to Chris； saying something about the dinosaurs eating。 Ron sat up in time to see the mother's head dip down into the ocean and up。 Her back rolled gently when she did。 A few seconds later the baby's head dipped into the ocean and came up with seaweed hanging from its jaws。 The baby chewed the seaweed slowly； working the drooping strands into its mouth。 Ron worried about the salt content。 He suspected they would last longer if they didn't ingest the salt。 Still； he found his concern about the dinosaurs ironic。 They were all hungry； thirsty； and exhausted； but they also felt secure on the great animal's back。 In a few short hours the dinosaur had been transformed from a mere vehicle to their friend and savior。
By late afternoon they began to talk again； their fear of the animals forgotten。 They named the big apatosaurus Patty and the little one； Pat。 They all agreed Patty was a good mother。 Somehow she had managed to save Pat from the sinking island and get him to sea。 Ron speculated with Carmen and the kids about what it must have been like on the island。 There had been a noise like a sonic boom； and then the island had just started sinking…relatively slowly； fortunately； because anything faster would have created a much bigger wave。
Patty and Pat must have found themselves in a landscape quickly flooding with water。 The trees would have been pushed around or toppled by the rising sea。 The animal life would have panicked； fighting for higher ground； ground that would bee crowded with terrified animals； and then； in turn； flooded。 Big animals like Patty could have kept their heads above water longer； but eventually they would have had to swim for their lives to solid ground that was miles away。 Patty would have had a better chance of saving herself without Pat； but she stayed with him； like a good mother would。
〃Dad；〃 Chris asked。 〃Do you think there were people on that island？〃
〃I don't think so；〃 Ron said to reassure Chris； but there was no way to know。 That island shouldn't have been there at all。 It just appeared； with animals like nothing Ron had ever seen on PBS or a National Geographic Special。 If people knew about that island； it certainly would have made the news。
When Ron next passed water to the family； he noticed Carmen only wet her lips； so he did the same。 When Ron had the water bottle back in its net bag he noticed Rosa staring at Pat。
〃Hey；〃 Rosa said。 〃I think Pat is having trouble。〃
Ron watched the baby for a while； but it seemed to be moving steadily； even after more than a day of swimming。 Ron shrugged his shoulders at Rosa。
〃Listen to it；〃 Rosa ordered。
Ron listened and realized he could hear its labored breathing。 It was in trouble； and he wished there was something they could do to help it； but there wasn't。 No one talked after that； instead they spent the time watching Pat and listening to his breathing grow deeper and more ragged。 Patty regularly swung her head around to look at Pat with one eye。 At first that unnerved them； but Patty paid no attention to them； only to Pat。 Patty also slowed her pace； but it didn't seem to help。
〃I hope you make it； little one；〃 Ron whispered。 〃I really hope you make it。〃
45。 CONTRIBUTION
The Bible； and other authorities； record that God made the sun stand still in the sky； so that Joshua could defeat his enemies。 Astronomically this is impossible。 It is no more difficult to believe Joshua and his men were somehow sent back a day in time。
…William Renfro； Space； Time； and History
Honolulu； Hawaii
POSTQUILT： TUESDAY； 11：07 P。M。 AHT
Assistant Professor Emmett Puglisi was sitting in Professor Wang's executive chair brooding。 Since he and Carrollee encountered the plesiosaur； he hadn't seen the botanist again。 She had been busy organizing people to protect the buried plesiosaur eggs and with other activities she wouldn't tell him about。 Emmett had been just as busy。 At first he spent his time answering the many questions about the plesiosaur on the PresNet。 He'd gotten his fifteen minutes of fame； but then other reports of dinosaurs began to appear on the network。 Emmett wanted the attention back； but he wasn't a biologist； and he had little to offer。 He felt like a bystander once more。
Emmett found himself both frightened by and drawn to the network； especially to models proposed to explain what had happened。 Hour by hour； day by day； he sat there； downloading the plex data and models； spreading them across Dr。 Wang's desk and struggling to understand them。 Slowly the equations came into focus； and Emmett began to see how the models evolved。 Still； he remained a spectator。 He longed to play in the big leagues but could see nothing orig