"My boy," said the Phoenix, "I have had a wide, and sometimes painful, experience with traps; so you may believe me when I say that these are among the best I have seen. We have done well." "They're sure strong enough," David agreed, flexing his fingers to take the stiffness out of them. "But what are we going to do if the Scientist does get caught in one?" "We shall burn that bridge when we reach it, my boy. Now, do you have the pliers, wire-cutters, and screw driver below?" "Yes, they're down in the cellar. What are we going to do with them, Phoenix?" "Patience, patience! You will be told when the time comes. I shall meet you tonight after dark, as soon as it is safe for me to come down. I trust you will have everything ready?" "Are you coming _down_?" "Precisely, my boy. A risk, I admit, but a necessary one. There is a hedge at the back of your house, is there not? Splendid. You may await me there." * * * * * David, sitting in the shadow of the hedge, jumped when he heard the Phoenix's quiet "Good evening, my boy." "Phoenix," he whispered, "how did you do it? Golly, I didn't see you at all, and it isn't even dark yet." "I have been hunted long enough, my boy, to have learned a few tricks. It is merely a matter of gliding close to the ground, selecting the best shadows, and keeping a sharp lookout. Well, let us get on with the Plan. Have you the tools here?" "Yes, here they are." "Splendid! Now, my boy, since we must continue your education during the night, it is necessary that we have some way of getting in touch with each other. If you climb the mountainside in the dark, you may unwittingly fall into our own snare. It is far easier for me to come down than it is for you to go up, and under cover of darkness I can do it quite safely. The question now is, how will you know when I have arrived? That, my boy, is the nub, or crux, of the situation. A difficult problem, you will admit. But I have worked out the solution." The Phoenix lowered its voice impressively. "My boy, we are going to install this bell in your room, and the pushbutton on the base of that telephone pole. When I arrive here at night, I shall press the button to let you know that I am ready to go. A magnificent idea, isn't it?" It did not seem very practical to David. "Well, Phoenix, that's a good idea," he said carefully. "But how are we going to hide the wires? And what about the noise of the bell?" "Nothing to it, my boy! The wires? There are wires between your house and the telephone pole already--one more would not be noticed. The noise? You have a pillow on your bed, under which the bell can be muffled." "Yes, that's true." It still sounded impractical. "Just imagine it!" the Phoenix continued enthusiastically. "Perhaps later we can install another bell at this end. Then we could learn Morse code and send messages to each other. Exactly like a private telephone line!"