s twitched like
an angry cat's. Their smell, like the lion house in the zoo, made
David feel faint.

"Well, Phoenix," said the largest Gryffon coldly, "you know the Rule,
I believe?"

The Phoenix smiled weakly and cleared its throat. "Ah, there,
Gryffon," it said unsteadily. "Fancy meeting you here. Ah--ah--rule?
What rule?"

"Rule 26," said the Gryffon. "'No human being shall be allowed to
enter the--'"

"Oh, that rule," said the Phoenix, with a careless laugh. "I thought
everyone knew that the Council of 1935 had changed it. Can it be that
you have not yet heard?"

"That won't do, Phoenix. You have also heard, of course, of the
penalty for breaking the Rule, which you must suffer along with this
human boy?"

"Now, one moment, my dear Gryffon! I--ah--"

"Death!"

The Phoenix quailed, and David's legs went limp under him. But they
had no chance to plead with the Gryffons. Their captors formed two
lines, one on each side of them, and at a scream of command from the
leader, all began to march. The Gryffon that had been holding the
Phoenix winked horribly at David and made a throat-cutting gesture
with its wing.

"Courage, my boy," the Phoenix whispered. "It is always darkest before
dawn."

Presently they reached a hillside. David and the Phoenix were marched
up to a cave and thrown in. Two of the Gryffons sat down at the
entrance to guard them while the others went off to consider the best
method of carrying out the penalty.

David was terribly frightened now, but he did not want to let the
Phoenix know it. In a voice which trembled a little he asked, "What
are we going to do?"

The Phoenix frowned. "Do not be downcast, my boy. My brain is equal to
any occasion. I shall Think. Silence, please."

And the Phoenix, covering its eyes with one wing, Thought.

To keep himself occupied, David explored the cave. But there was
nothing to see. The cave was small and bare. He tested the walls
thoroughly to see if there were any places where they might dig their
way out. There were none. His feet raised a cloud of fine dust, which
got into his eyes and nose and made him sneeze violently. Discouraged,
he went back to the Phoenix and sat down. There was a long silence.

Gradually an idea came to David. It started as a small, faint thought
at the back of his mind, wavered, began to grow and expand and fill
out--became bigger and clearer and better and--

"Phoenix!" cried David, jumping to his feet.

"My boy, my