1Jack gasped as Annie held out her hand.
2Oh, brother. She was always trying to make friends with animals. But this was going too far.
3“Don’t get too close to him, Annie!” Jack shouted.
4But Annie touched the Pteranodon’s crest. She stroked his neck. She was talking to him.
5What in the world was she saying?
6Jack took a deep breath. Okay. He would go down, too. It would be good to examine the creature. Take notes. Like a scientist.
7Jack started down the rope ladder.
8When he got to the ground, Jack was only a few feet away from the creature.
9The creature stared at Jack. His eyes were bright and alert.
10“He’s soft, Jack,” said Annie. “He feels like Henry.” Jack snorted. “He’s no dog, Annie.”
11“Feel him, Jack,” said Annie.
12Jack didn’t move.
13“Don’t think, Jack. Just do it.”
14Jack stepped forward. He put out his arm. Very cautiously. He brushed his hand down the creature’s neck.
15Interesting. A thin layer of fuzz covered the Pteranodon’s skin.
16“Soft, huh?” said Annie.
17Jack reached into his backpack and pulled out a pencil and a notebook. He wrote:
18“What are you doing?” asked Annie.
19“Taking notes,” said Jack. “We’re probably the first people in the whole world to ever see a real live Pteranodon.”
20Jack looked at the Pteranodon again. The creature had a bony crest on top of his head. The crest was longer than Jack’s arm.
21“I wonder how smart he is,” Jack said.
22“Very smart,” said Annie.
23“Don’t count on it,” said Jack. “His brain’s probably no bigger than a bean.” “No, he’s very smart. I can feel it,” said Annie. “I’m going to call him Henry.” Jack wrote in his notebook:
24Jack looked at the creature again. “Maybe he’s a mutant,” he said.
25The creature tilted his head.
26Annie laughed. “He’s no mutant, Jack.”
27“Well, what’s he doing here then? Where is this place?” said Jack.
28Annie leaned close to the Pteranodon.
29“Do you know where we are, Henry?” she asked softly.
30The creature fixed his eyes on Annie. His long jaws were opening and closing.
31Like a giant pair of scissors.
32“Are you trying to talk to me, Henry?” asked Annie.
33“Forget it, Annie.” Jack wrote in his notebook:
34“Did we come to a time long ago, Henry?” asked Annie. “Is this a place from long ago?” Suddenly she gasped. “Jack!”
35He looked up.
36Annie was pointing toward the hill. On top stood a huge dinosaur!