Johnny braced himself. There was a rush of air. Johnny felt the tank tip slowly under him. Then it went over with a crash. The tank was right side up.
"The gate!" Rick exclaimed.
Just above his head Johnny saw light from the observation slit. He looked out. Then he knew what Rick meant. They and the four rhinosaurs had reached the gate at the same time. The rhinosaurs were inside. They had knocked the tank through the outer gateway and had smashed into the steel door before it was halfway down.
The inner door must have met the same fate for Johnny could see that the sliding steel plates were bent and jammed open. The rhinosaurs had kept after the tank until now it lay fifty yards inside the settlement. Even as Johnny watched, another rhinosaur charged through the opening and headed into the settlement.
Captain Thompson was grinding on the starter and Rick was working up in the gun turret.
"The rhinosaurs got through," Johnny clicked to Baba.
"And the tank is broken?" Baba clicked back.
"Yes."
"I have to get out," Baba said. "Maybe I can get the rhinosaurs to...."
"No, Baba," Johnny said. "They're just plain crazy now."