“You mean you turned ordinary crocodiles into those monsters out there?” Bud put in.
THE MONSTER MAKER 163
“In a way, yes. I took crocodile eggs and treated them with X rays and chemicals to cause mutations, or changes. This produced freak animals-some with characteristics of earlier reptiles far back on the scale of evolution.”
Tom nodded. “Then you bred the freaks.”
“Exactly,” Professor Eldreth said. “In this way, I was able to telescope the evolutionary process in a backward direction. Finally I produced a creature much like the thecodonts-the ancestor of both crocodiles and dinosaurs.”
Eldreth led the boys outside and blew a whistle. Tom and Bud gaped as several creatures scampered in response. They were like large lizards, about the size of police dogs, but running erect on powerfully developed hind legs.
“Good grief!” Bud gasped. “How’d you like them as watchdogs, Tom?”
“No thanks,” Tom muttered.
Meanwhile, Eldreth had gone back into the bungalow. In a moment he emerged, carrying some pieces of raw meat, which he threw to the thecodonts. They seized the food with their clawed forelegs and gobbled greedily.
“From these you developed your dinosaurs?” Tom asked.
“Yes. I concentrated on developing animals with a bone structure like the saurischians-the reptile-hipped dinosaurs. I succeeded in producing not only two-legged meat eaters like the tyrannosaurus, but also the heavier four-legged plant eaters like 164 REPELATRON SKYWAY
the brontosaurus and brachiosaurus.” Professor Eldreth got a lantern and said, “Come along. I’ll show you.”
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