ffect; one or two pieces
fell, but the rest remained firm, though we struck with long poles as
high as we could reach. We were now satisfied of the security of our
magnificent abode, and began to plan our arrangements for converting it
into a convenient and pleasant habitation. The majority were for coming
here immediately, but the wiser heads determined that, for this year,
Falcon's Nest was to continue our home. There we went every night, and
spent the day at Tent House, contriving and arranging our future
winter dwelling.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XXX.

The last bed of rock, before we reached the cave which Jack had pierced,
was so soft, and easy to work, that we had little difficulty in
proportioning and opening the place for our door; I hoped that, being
now exposed to the heat of the sun, it would soon become as hard as the
original surface. The door was that we had used for the staircase at
Falcon's Nest; for as we only intended to make a temporary residence of
our old tree, there was no necessity for solid fittings; and, besides, I
intended to close the entrance of the tree by a door of bark, more
effectually to conceal it, in case savages should visit us. I then laid
out the extent of the grotto at pleasure, for we had ample space. We
began by dividing it into two parts; that on the right of the entrance
was to be our dwelling; on the left were, first, our kitchen, then the
workshop and the stables; behind these were the store-rooms and the
cellar. In order to give light and air to our apartments, it was
necessary to insert in the rock the windows we had brought from the
ship; and this cost us many days of labour. The right-hand portion was
subdivided into three rooms: the first our own bedroom; the middle, the
common sitting-room, and beyond the boys' room. As we had only three
windows, we appropriated one to each bedroom, and the third to the
kitchen, contenting ourselves, at present, with a grating in the
dining-room. I constructed a sort of chimney in the kitchen, formed of
four boards, and conducted the smoke thus, through a hole made in the
face of the rock. We made bur work-room spacious enough for us to carry
on all our manufactures, and it served also for our cart-house. Finally,
all the partition-walls were put up, communicating by doors, and
completing our commodious habitation. These various labours, the removal
of our effects, and arranging them again, all the conf