It was now noon, and we returned to Falcon's Nest very hungry, and found an excellent dinner prepared, of smoked beef, and the tender bud of the cabbage-palm, the most delicious of vegetables.
After dinner, we began to discuss a plan I had long had in my head; but the execution of it presented many difficulties.

It was, to substitute a firm and solid staircase for the ladder of ropes, which was a source of continual fear to my wife.

It is true, that we only had to ascend it to go to bed; but bad weather might compel us to remain in our apartment; we should then have frequently to ascend and descend, and the ladder was very unsafe.

But the immense height of the tree, and the impossibility of procuring beams to sustain a staircase round it, threw me into despair.

However, looking at the monstrous trunk of the tree, I thought, if we cannot succeed outside, could we not contrive to mount within?
"Have you not said there was a swarm of bees in the trunk of the tree ?" I inquired of my wife.