hedge, jumped when he heard the
Phoenix's quiet "Good evening, my boy."

"Phoenix," he whispered, "how did you do it? Golly, I didn't see you
at all, and it isn't even dark yet."

"I have been hunted long enough, my boy, to have learned a few tricks.
It is merely a matter of gliding close to the ground, selecting the
best shadows, and keeping a sharp lookout. Well, let us get on with
the Plan. Have you the tools here?"

"Yes, here they are."

"Splendid! Now, my boy, since we must continue your education during
the night, it is necessary that we have some way of getting in touch
with each other. If you climb the mountainside in the dark, you may
unwittingly fall into our own snare. It is far easier for me to come
down than it is for you to go up, and under cover of darkness I can do
it quite safely. The question now is, how will you know when I have
arrived? That, my boy, is the nub, or crux, of the situation. A
difficult problem, you will admit. But I have worked out the
solution."

The Phoenix lowered its voice impressively.

"My boy, we are going to install this bell in your room, and the
pushbutton on the base of that telephone pole. When I arrive here at
night, I shall press the button to let you know that I am ready to go.
A magnificent idea, isn't it?"

It did not seem very practical to David. "Well, Phoenix, that's a good
idea," he said carefully. "But how are we going to hide the wires?
And what about the noise of the bell?"

"Nothing to it, my boy! The wires? There are wires between your house
and the telephone pole already--one more would not be noticed. The
noise? You have a pillow on your bed, under which the bell can be
muffled."

"Yes, that's true." It still sounded impractical.

"Just imagine it!" the Phoenix continued enthusiastically. "Perhaps
later we can install another bell at this end. Then we could learn
Morse code and send messages to each other. Exactly like a private
telephone line!"

Put in this way, the idea had a certain appeal, and David found
himself warming to it. But there was another thing to consider.

"How about electricity, Phoenix?"

"Look above you, my boy! The telephone pole is simply loaded down with
power lines waiting to be tapped."

The Phoenix was evidently set on carrying out the Plan, and David did
not want to wear out the bird's patience with more objections.
And--well, why not? There should be no harm in trying it out, anyway.

They gathered up the too