"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 very dear boy," said the Phoenix, its voice breaking with emotion, "I have Thought, I have Pondered, I have--well, to be brief, it is no use. Stiff upper lip, my boy! We are Doomed." "Phoenix, I--" "Let this be a lesson to you, my boy, even though it be your last one. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Ah! who could have said, in the golden days of my youth, that I should come to such an end! Oh, miserable bird! Oh, unhappy boy!" "Phoenix--" "But we can show them how to die, my boy! We still have that--the last magnificent gesture. Let those who have lived wisely and well show that they can die in the same way! I hope I am to go first, so that you may have an example to follow." "_Phoenix!_" "My boy?" "Listen, please!" And David whispered in the Phoenix's ear. The plan had seemed like a good one while it was still in his mind, but put into words it sounded a little too simple. As he whispered, David began to feel more and more foolish, so that finally he stopped altogether. "I--I guess it's really kind of silly," he stammered. But the Phoenix was looking at him with hope and admiration in its eyes. "My very dear chap," it said solemnly, "I salute you. I humbly await your signal." "Do you really think it will work?" "My boy, it must--it can--it shall. Proceed." Poor as the plan now seemed to David, he prepared to carry it out. Holding his breath so as not to sneeze again, he scooped up as much dust as he could hold in two hands. Then he took his position on one side of the cave, nodded the Phoenix toward the other, and glanced out to see if the guardian Gryffons were looking. They were not. "Now," he whispered.