Dinosaur Stakeout Read Online Free Page A

the opening, pushing it firmly into place. Then he found a stone and plugged the hole, making sure his fingers didn’t touch the cone. Next, he patted moist dirt from the floor over the hole, using the trowel to smooth the wall until no seams ­showed.
    Relieved, Daniel plopped himself down on his tree stump, and let the trowel slide from his hand. He gave a huge sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The pine cone was safely hidden for the time being. Once the dirt dried, no one would see anything ­unusual.
    Except he’d know where it was. Could he leave it there? Or would he be tempted to make use of ­it?
    Imagine discovering new information and being able to verify some of the things the scientists debated? One thing he could do right now was tell them about the colours of the various creatures. But he couldn’t prove ­it.
    Suddenly, a thought struck Daniel. What if he were to go back in time on purpose? He could make sure he was prepared with the proper equipment. Why not make use of the cone? A tremor of fear ran up his spine. No, he couldn’t do it! What if a carnivore dinosaur actually succeeded in attacking him? No one would know where he was and no one would be able to help him! His parents would never know what had happened to ­him.
    He shook his head and got up. It was time to get back to the farm and see how things were going. He hadn’t heard any whistling, but then he wasn’t outside where he could listen for it either. He gave one last look at the hiding spot and left. Dactyl joined him moments ­later.
    Hustling home, Daniel found ideas popping through his mind like kernels in a ­hot-­air popcorn maker. If he did go back to prehistoric time, a camera would be great and maybe he could bring back samples of plants. Then he jerked his thoughts back to the present. The journey would simply be too dangerous!
    When he reached the yard, Dactyl wandered off and Daniel made his way to the tourist campsite. Craig and Todd ignored him when he arrived. Craig concentrated on applying a layer of stain over the exterior outhouse walls that he’d covered with ­spray-­painted swear words a couple of nights before. Todd kept himself busy sanding the tops of the picnic tables. He’d etched his initials into them with his pocket knife. Daniel saw that one of them had also pounded out the dints in the ­forty-­five-­gallon water barrel that they had dumped Daniel into and then rolled down the ­hill.
    “Hello, Daniel,” said Dad, appearing from behind the stack of firewood with Mr. Lindstrom just behind him. “How’s it going?”
    “Great.” Daniel glanced over at the Nelwins. “Should I go help them?”
    Both men shook their heads in ­unison.
    Dad said, “They have to learn the full value of consequences.” Then he asked how the Nelwins did at the ­barn.
    “Okay,” answered Daniel. “So, what would you like me to do?”
    “Would you mind checking the horses?” Dad ­asked.
    Mr. Lindstrom agreed. “See how they’re doing for water and such, seeing as how this is their first day here.”
    “You bet,” said Daniel, happy to have a responsible job to do, although he doubted it was as important as Dad and Mr. Lindstrom made it out to be. They were probably trying to spare his feelings, because they figured he couldn’t do much strenuous physical work. Still, it kept him ­occupied.
    He puttered about with his dad and Mr. Lindstrom, doing the less demanding chores, readying the campsite for all the guests, until Jed’s two youngest sisters called them for lunch. When they arrived back in the yard, Dad and Mr. Lindstrom hopped out of the jeep and went straight into the outdoor kitchen to wash up. But when Daniel poked his head in, his Mom asked him to wash Cheryl ­outside.
    “The rest of you can wash out there too.” She threw him a couple of older ­towels.
    Daniel headed to the trough and water pump with Cheryl chattering and squirming, as she tried to get down to pet Dactyl, who had just