eled, as they shook the sand from
themselves. "Do you think it'll come back, Phoenix?"

"Of course, my boy. Curiosity, if nothing else, will bring it up
again. In the meantime, we might as well sit down and wait."

They sat down and waited. David took off his jacket. For fifteen
minutes they heard nothing but the murmuring of the surf and the
rustling clatter of palm fronds. At last there was a slight splashing
noise from the lagoon.

"There," David whispered, pointing.

Thirty feet offshore, an ear was being thrust cautiously above the
rippled surface. It twitched once or twice, then pointed quiveringly
in their direction.

"Come out, Monster!" the Phoenix shouted. "It is I, the Phoenix."

The Sea Monster's head appeared slowly, followed by several yards of
neck. It peered at them short-sightedly, weaving its head from side to
side to get a better view. David saw that it had two short, straight
horns just in front of its ears, eyes that were soft and cowlike, and
a most expressive set of whiskers. The whiskers were now at a
doubtful, half-mast angle.

"Ah, Phoenix," said the Sea Monster at last in a mild voice. "Can't
you remember to wake me a bit more gently? I thought you were--"

"Come on out," said the Phoenix firmly, "and stop looking like a lost
sheep."

"Uh--what about--uh--that?" said the Sea Monster hesitantly, pointing
one ear at David.

"This," said the Phoenix, "is David. He is getting an education. I
assure you that he will not bite."

The Sea Monster swam toward them, heaved itself out of the water, and
offered its huge flipper for David to shake.

[Illustration]

"Sorry I rushed off like that," it said. "The trouble is, I've had
such a bad case of war nerves. Why, sometimes I jump out of my skin at
nothing at all."

"Were you in the war?" David asked.

"Ah, _was_ I," sighed the Sea Monster. It flopped down comfortably on
its belly, curled its tail around its front flippers, and sighed
again. But David noticed that its whiskers had perked up to a quite
cheerful angle. The Sea Monster was obviously delighted to have
someone listen to its troubles.

"Yes," it said, heaving a third sigh, "I was. From the very beginning,
much against my will. Guns all over the place! Terrible!"

"Did they shoot you?" David asked, horrified.

"Well, _at_ me, anyway. I'm thankful to say they never hit me, but
there were some pretty near misses. All the oceans were simply packed
with ships. I couldn't li