'
So the Phoenix fluttered up through the grey space of the tower and
vanished at the top, and it was not till it had quite gone that
Jane said--
'Suppose it never comes back.'
It was not a pleasant thought, and though Anthea at once said, 'Of
course it will come back; I'm certain it's a bird of its word,' a
further gloom was cast by the idea. For, curiously enough, there
was no door to the tower, and all the windows were far, far too
high to be reached by the most adventurous climber. It was cold,
too, and Anthea shivered.
'Yes,' said Cyril, 'it's like being at the bottom of a well.'
The children waited in a sad and hungry silence, and got little
stiff necks with holding their little heads back to look up the
inside of the tall grey tower, to see if the Phoenix were coming.
At last it came. It looked very big as it fluttered down between
the walls, and as it neared them the children saw that its bigness
was caused by a basket of boiled chestnuts which it carried in one
claw. In the other it held a piece of bread. And in its beak was
a very large pear. The pear was juicy, and as good as a very small
drink. When the meal was over every one felt better, and the
question of how to get home was discussed without any
disagreeableness. But no one could think of any way out of the
difficulty, or even out of the tower; for the Phoenix, though its
beak and claws had fortunately been strong enough to carry food for
them, was plainly not equal to flying through the air with four
well-nourished children.
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