Something was terribly
wrong. The Phoenix was breathing in hoarse gasps; its wings were
pounding the air frantically. Now they had turned back. The scarp
loomed before them, solid and blank. Above them--high above them--was
the ledge. It looked as though they would not get back to it.

Up ... up ... up.... They crawled through the air. The wings flapped
wildly, faster and faster. They were gaining--slipping back--gaining
again. The Phoenix sobbed as it stretched its neck in the last effort.
Fifty feet ... twenty feet ... ten.... With a tremendous surge of its
wings, the Phoenix managed to get one claw over the edge and to seize
the branch of a bush in its beak. David's legs slipped from the bird's
back. He dangled over the abyss from the outstretched neck, and
prayed. The bush saved them. They scrabbled up over the edge, tottered
there for an instant, and dropped on the grass.

For a long time they lay gasping and trembling.

At last the Phoenix weakly raised its head. "Puff--well, my boy--puff
puff--whew!--very narrow squeak. I--puff--"

[Illustration]

David could not answer. The earth reeled under him and would not stop
no matter how tightly he clutched the grass.

"Puff--I repeat, I am--puff--an exceedingly powerful flyer. There are
few birds--none, I daresay--who--puff--could have done even this
much. The truth of the matter is that you are a lot--puff--heavier
than you look. I hope you are not being overfed at home?"

"I--I don't know," said David, wondering whether or not he was going
to be sick.

"Well, my course is clear," said the Phoenix firmly. "I must practice.
Setting-up exercises, roadwork, and what not. Rigorous diet. Lots of
sleep. Regular hours. Courage, my dear fellow! We shall do it yet!"

* * * * *

And so for the following week the Phoenix practiced.

Every morning David climbed up to the ledge, bringing sandwiches for
himself, cookies for the Phoenix, and a wet towel. Then, while he kept
count, the Phoenix did setting-up exercises. After this, the bird
would jog trot up and down the ledge and practice jumping. Then there
would be a fifteen-minute rest and refreshment period. And when that
was over, the Phoenix would launch itself into the air. This was the
part David liked best. It was a magnificent sight. The Phoenix dashed
back and forth at top speed, wheeled in circles, shot straight up like
a rocket--plunged, hovered, looped--rolled, soared, flutter