ot stick
your head over too far."

David wormed his way to the edge, peered down, and gasped. Below him,
on the grassy slope at the foot of the scarp, was a figure clad in
khaki. It was the Scientist.

"Do you think he saw us?" the Phoenix whispered.

"I don't think so," David whispered back. "He's looking off to the
left. Oh, Phoenix, what if he comes up here? What'll we do?"

"Listen," hissed the Phoenix, "run down there. Talk to him, lead him
away, distract his attention, anything. Only be quick!"

"All right!"

The Phoenix melted into the thicket, and David jumped to his feet. As
he dashed down the trail his brain whirled with questions. What should
he do? What could he say? How could he lead the Scientist away? Where
would the Phoenix go?

In his haste he forgot one important thing. His foot tripped over the
pile of grass and leaves on the trail. The released sapling sprang
upward, the noose tightened with a cruel jerk around his ankle, and he
was snatched into the air. As the blood rushed to his head he lost
control of himself and began to struggle wildly and shout at the top
of his voice.

The flat dry voice of the Scientist drifted to him as if through a
long tunnel. "What's all this? What are you doing here? Who set this
snare?"

"Get me down," David choked. "Please!"

A hand seized him by the scruff of the neck. A knife flashed through
the air and cut the rope. David landed on his feet, but his legs gave
way and he dropped to his knees. He felt dizzy as the blood rushed
away from his head again.

The Scientist tilted his sun helmet back and said, "Well,
well--David," in a disagreeable tone. His eyes narrowed behind the
spectacles. "What is this snare doing here?"

David struggled to his feet and clutched a bush for support. "Thank
you for cutting me down," he said.

The cold blue eyes found David's and held them in a hypnotic stare.
"What is this trap doing here? Who set it?"

"I--I was coming down the trail and--and--I was caught in it," David
stammered.

"You are avoiding my question, young man," said the Scientist.
"Who--set--this--snare? Answer me!"

There was a brilliant flash of gold and blue in the sunlight, the
whistle of feathers cleaving the air, the sharp _thwock!_ of fisted
talons striking. The Scientist pitched forward with a surprised grunt
and lay still across the trail--and the Phoenix, executing a flip in
the air to check its speed, settled down beside David.

"View ha