The Sea Monster ducked its head and blushed. A wave of fiery red started at its nose, traveled rapidly back over its ears, down its neck, along the body, and fanned out to the tips of its flippers and the extreme end of the barb in its tail. Even its whiskers turned pink. "Well--uh--glad to help--uh--nothing to it, really," it mumbled. Then it turned abruptly, galloped down to the sea, plunged into the surf, and was gone. 7: _In Which the Phoenix's Plan Is Carried Out, and There Are More Alarums and Excursions in the Night_ [Illustration] "Now, my boy," said the Phoenix, when they got back to the ledge that afternoon, "are the shops still open?" "I think they're open till six," said David, shaking the sand out of his shoes. "Are we going to buy something?" "Precisely, my boy. A hardware store should have what we need. Now, you will take our gold and purchase the following." And the Phoenix listed the things it wanted, and told David which to bring to the ledge and which to leave below. "... and a hatchet," the Phoenix concluded. "We have one at home already," said David. "Now, listen, Phoenix, _can't_ you tell me what all this is for? What are we going to do with it?" "My boy, the feline's existence was terminated as a direct result of its inquisitiveness." "What did you say?" "Curiosity killed the cat," explained the Phoenix. "Oh. But--" "Now, run along, my boy. A very important Thought has just come to me. I must Meditate a while." The Phoenix glanced at the thicket and hid a yawn behind one wing. "Oh, all _right_," said David. "I'll see you in the morning, then." It wasn't until he got home that he thought of something. He couldn't spend pirate gold pieces, or even show them to anyone, without being asked a lot of embarrassing questions. What to do? Ask Dad or Mother or Aunt Amy to lend him some money? More embarrassing questions.... Well, he would have to rob his bank. But wait--why hadn't he remembered? Just before they had moved, Uncle Charles had given him a ten-dollar bill as a farewell present. He had been saving it for a model airplane, but the excitement of the last few days had driven it completely out of his mind. Of course the Phoenix's Plan was more important than any model plane could be.