for a Jeep； coils of cyclone fencing； hundred…pound fertilizer bags； stacks of brown ceramic insulators； empty motor…oil cans； work lights and cables。
〃I don't see any raft。〃
〃Keep going。〃
Bags of cement； lengths of copper pipe； green mesb 。 。 。 and two plastic oars bung on clips on the concrete wall。
〃Okay；〃 he said； 〃but where's the raft？〃
〃It must be here somewhere；〃 Tim said。
〃You never saw a raft？〃
〃No； I just assumed it was here。〃
Poking among the junk； Grant found no raft。 But he did find a set of plans； rolled up and speckled with mold from humidity； stuck back in a metal cabinet on the wall。 He spread the plans on the floor； brushing away a big spider。 He looked at them for a long time。
〃I'm hungry。 。 。 。〃
〃Just a minute。〃
They were detailed topographical charts for the main area of the island； where they now were。 According to this； the lagoon narrowed into the river they had seen earlier； which twisted northward 。 。 。 right through the aviary 。 。 。 and on to within a half…mile of the visitor lodge。
He flipped back through the pages。 How to get to the lagoon？ According to the plans； there should be a door at the back of the building they were in。 Grant looked up； and saw it； recessed back in the concrete wall。 The door was wide enough for a car。 Opening it； he saw a paved road running straight down toward the lagoon。 The road was dug below ground level； so it couldn't be seen from above。 It must be another service road。 And it led to a dock at the edge of the lagoon。 And clearly stenciled on the dock was RAFT STORAGE。
〃Hey；〃 Tim said； 〃look at this。〃 He held out a metal case to Grant。
Opening it； Grant found a pressed…air pistol and a cloth belt that held darts。 There were six darts in all； each as thick as his finger。 Labeled MORO…709。
〃Good Work； Tim。〃 He slung the belt around his shoulder； and stuck the gun in his trousers。
〃Is it a tranquilizer gun？〃
〃I'd say so。〃
〃What about the boat？〃 Lex said。
〃I think it's on the dock；〃 Grant said。 They started down the road。 Grant carried the oars on his shoulder。 〃I hope it's a big raft；〃 Lex said； 〃because I can't swim。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 he said。
〃Maybe we can catch some fish；〃 she said。
They walked down the road with the sloping embankment rising up on both sides of them。 They heard a deep rhythmic snorting sound； but Grant could not see where it was ing from。
〃Are you sure there's a raft down here？〃 Lex said； wrinkling her nose。
〃Probably；〃 Grant said。
The rhythmic snorting became louder as they walked； but they also heard a steady droning； buzzing sound。 When they reached the end of the road； at the edge of the small concrete dock； Grant froze in shock。
The tyrannosaur was right there。
It was sitting upright in the shade of a tree； its hind legs stretched out in front。 Its eyes were open but it was not moving； except for its head； which lifted and fell gently with each snorting sound。 The buzzing came from the clouds of flies that surrounded it； crawling over its face and slack jaws； its bloody fangs； and the red haunch of a killed hadrosaur that lay on its side behind the tyrannosaur。
The tyrannosaur was only twenty yards away。 Grant felt sure it must have seen him； but the big animal did not respond。 It just sat there。 It took him a moment to realize： the tyrannosaur was asleep。 Sitting up； but asleep。
He signaled to Tim and Lex to stay where they were。 Grant walked slowly forward onto the dock； in full view of the tyrannosaur。 The big animal continued to sleep； snoring softly。
Near the end of the dock； a wooden shed was painted green to blend with the foliage。 Grant quietly unlatched the door and looked inside。 He saw a half…dozen orange life vests hanging on the wall； several rolls of wire…mesh fencing； some coils of rope； and twob ig rubber cubes sitting on the floor。 The cubes were strapped tight with flat rubber belts。
Rafts。
He looked back at Lex。
She mouthed： No boat
He nodded； Yes。
The tyrannosaur raised its forelimb to swipe at the flies buzzing around its snout。 But otherwise it did not move。 Grant pulled one of the cubes out onto the dock。 It was surprisingly heavy。 He freed the straps； found the inflation cylinder。 With a loud hiss； the rubber began to expand； and then with a hiss…whap！ it popped fully open on the dock。 The sound was fearfully loud in their ears。
Grant turned； stared up at the dinosaur。
The tyrannosaur grunted； and snorted。 It began to move。 Grant braced himself to run； but the animal shifted its ponderous bulk and then it settled back against the tree trunk and gave a long； growling belch。
Lex looked disgusted； waving her hand in front of her face。
Grant was soaked in sweat from the tension。 He dragged the rubber raft across the dock。 It flopped into the water with a loud splash。
The dinosaur continued to sleep。
Grant tied the boat up to the dock； and returned to the shed to take out two life preservers。 He put these in the boat； and then waved for the kids to e out onto the dock。
Pale with fear； Lex waved back； No。
He gestured： Yes。
The tyrannosaur continued to sleep。
Grant stabbed in the air with an emphatic finger。 Lex came silently； and he gestured for her to get into the raft； then Tim got in； and they both put on their life vests。 Grant got in and pushed off。 The raft drifted silently out into the lagoon。 Grant picked up his paddles and fitted them into the oarlocks。 They moved farther from the dock。
Lex sat back； and sighed loudly with relief。 Then she looked stricken； and put her band over her mouth。 Her body shook； with muffled sounds： she was suppressing a cough。
She always coughed at the wrong times！
〃Lex；〃 Tim whispered fiercely； looking back toward the shore。
She shook her head miserably； and pointed to her throat。 He knew what she meant： a tickle in her throat。 What she needed was a drink of water。 Grant was rowing； and Tim leaned over the side of the raft and scooped his hand in the lagoon； holding his cupped hand toward her。
Lex coughed loudly； explosively。 In Tim's ears； the sound echoed across the water like a gunshot。
The tyrannosaur yawned lazily； and scratched behind its ear with its hind foot； just like a dog。 It yawned again。 It was groggy after its big meal； and it woke up slowly。
On the boat； Lex was making little gargling sounds。
〃Lex； shut up！〃 Tim said。
〃I can't help it；〃 she whispered； and then she coughed again。 Grant rowed hard； moving the raft powerfully into the center of the lagoon。
On the shore； the tyrannosaur stumbled to its feet。
〃I couldn't help it； Timmy！〃 Lex shrieked miserably。 〃I couldn't help it！〃
〃Shhhh！〃
Grant was rowing as fast as he could。
〃Anyway； it doesn't matter；〃 she said。 〃We're far enough away。 He can't swim。
〃Of course he can swim； you little idiot！〃 Tim shouted at her。 On the shore； the tyrannosaur stepped off the dock and plunged into the water。 It moved strongly into the lagoon after them。
〃Well； how should I know？〃 she said。
〃Everybody knows tyrannosaurs can swim！ It's in all the books！ Anyway； all reptiles can swim！〃
〃Snakes can't。〃
〃Of course snakes can。 You idiot！〃
〃Settle down；〃 Grant said。 〃Hold on to something！〃 Grant was watching the tyrannosaur； noticing how the animal swam。 The tyrannosaur was now chest…deep in the water； but it could hold its big head high above the surface。 Then Grant realized the animal wasn't swimming； it was walking； because moments later only the very top of the head…the eyes and nostrils…protruded above the surface。 By then it looked like a crocodile； and it swam like a crocodile； swinging its big tail back and forth； so the water churned behind it。 Behind the head； Grant saw the hump of the back； and the ridges along the length of tail； as it occasionally broke the surface。
Exactly like a crocodile； he thought unhappily。 The biggest crocodile in the world。
〃I'm sorry； Dr。 Grant！〃 Lex wailed。 〃I didn't mean it！〃
Grant glanced over his shoulder。 The lagoon was no more than a hundred yards wide here； and they had almost reach