Part 13 (1/2)
”Hey!” he shouted ”The lights are out!”
”Is that you, dear?” ca room
”The telephone's dead!” Dad shouted fro down the stairs with a candle ”It's that burglar!” she cried ”Turning out all the lights so he can murder us in our beds!”
”Look!” David shouted, ”the line's broken in our back yard!”
They could hear the wailing of sirens now Fire trucks, repair trucks, and police cars pulled up in front of the house Everyone in the block turned out to see what had happened It took the repair le the wires and fix theh the crowd, asking questions and writing things down in their notebooks They were looking rather haggard, David thought
8: _In Which David and the Phoenix Visit a Banshee, and a Surprise Is Planted in the Enemy's Camp_
[Illustration]
Next day Mother asked David to help her straighten out the garden, which had been trao to see the Phoenix until after lunch But when that was finished, he rushed up theall the hat he and the Phoenix were going to do now
The ledge was eot there He shouted, ”Phoenix!” and listened
”Hel-l-lp!” cae
David juhtby one foot fro and its free foot clawing the air The feathers of its wings and tail were singed Great beads of sweat rolled froround below The snared foot was blue and swollen
”Get asped the Phoenix weakly
David took a running leap at the sapling, which broke under the sudden increase of weight, and the two of theed the Phoenix to the shadiest, softest spot on the ledge
”Hoist with my own petard,” said the Phoenix bitterly ”Rub my foot, will you? Oh dear oh dear oh dear! Hurts”
”What happened?” David asked as he rubbed the swollen foot ”How long have you been caught?”
”Missedits brow
”Thought I was on the other side of the ledge, and landed right on that fool trap Hung there all night and all ht you would never come, my boy Oh dear, oh dear, what a horrible experience! My tail was still on fire when I landed, too I fully expected to be burned to a crisp” A large tear rolled down the Phoenix's beak
Davidwords and continued to chafe the Phoenix's foot ”Does it feel any better now?”
”The feeling is co its beak ”Ouch! All pins and needles” It flexed its toes gingerly ”Rub a bit o down With a handful of darass David soothed the marks left by the noose
”That stupid Electric Co everyone in danger with a short-circuited power line! Let this be a lesson to you,well They will hear from us, believe me! We shall write them a stiff complaint!”
”Well, Phoenix,” said David hopefully, ”we can set the snare again if we can find another good sapling; and we still have the other one, so we're pretty well protected And why couldn't we ht? The bell was a good idea, but we _could_ get along without it”
The Phoenix sighed ”I suppose you are right,over spilt ood heavens, round and wildly motioned to David to do the same He flattened himself out beside the bird and said, ”What is it, Phoenix?”