ore, make
their home in a single tree; and do so to secure themselves against
savage beasts, and sometimes equally savage men. That they build their
houses upon platforms, which they erect upon the horizontal branches;
and that they ascend by means of ladders, which are drawn up after them
at night when they go to rest.

All this Von Bloom had heard, and all of it is positively true. Of
course the reflection occurred to him, why could _he_ not do the same?
Why could he not build a house in the gigantic nwana? That would give
him all the security he desired. There they could all sleep with
perfect confidence of safety. There, on going out to hunt, he could
leave the children, with the certainty of finding them on his return.
An admirable idea!--how about its practicability?

He began to consider this. If he only had planks to make a staging or
platform, the rest would be easy. Any slight roof would be sufficient
up there. The leaves almost formed a roof. But the flooring--this was
the difficulty. Where were planks to be got? Nowhere, in that
neighbourhood.

His eye, at that moment, chanced to fall upon the wagon. Ha! there were
planks there. But to break up his beautiful wagon? No--no--no! Such a
thing was not to be thought of.

But stay! there was no need to _break_ it up--no need to knock out a
single nail. It would serve every purpose without breaking a splinter
off it. The fine vehicle was made to take to pieces, and put up again
at will.

He could take it to pieces. The broad bottom alone should remain whole.
That of itself would be the platform. Hurrah!

The field-cornet, excited with the development of this fine plan, now
communicated it to the others. All agreed that it was just the thing;
and as the day was before them, they made no more ado, but set about
carrying out the design.

A ladder thirty feet long had first to be constructed. This occupied a
good while; but at length a stout rough article was knocked up, which
served the purpose admirably. It gave them access to the lowermost
limb; and from this they could construct steps to all the others.

Von Bloom ascended, and after careful examination chose the site of the
platform. This was to rest upon two strong horizontal limbs of equal
height, and diverging very gradually from each other. The quantity of
thick branches in the great tree afforded him a choice.

The wagon was now taken to pieces--a work of only a few minutes-