the base of it that, while far enough
away to ensure that they should not be seen by the occupants during
their descent, they should be near enough to rush in and effect the
capture of the white men the moment that they set foot on the ground.

Meanwhile Stukely and Chichester, absolutely unconscious of the
elaborate preparations that were being made for their capture, slept
soundly on until the sun was fairly above the horizon, when the cries of
the birds in the neighbouring branches of the tree aroused them to the
fact that another day had arrived, and that it was high time for them to
descend from their lofty hiding-place and proceed with the preparations
for the resumption of their journey. Accordingly, they began their
descent with the observance of every precaution which their past
experience had taught them; but, unfortunately, they had not yet learned
that when you ascend a tree in search of concealment, it is always
advisable to descend some other, as they might easily have done had they
thought of it; for, as is the case almost everywhere in the South
American forest, the trees grew so thickly together that they might
easily have travelled for miles without descending to the ground, merely
by climbing along from branch to branch. But this idea did not occur to
them, therefore they proceeded to lower themselves gradually down the
giant trunk, carefully inspecting what lay beneath them before
attempting to reach the next branch below. For the first fifty feet or
so of their descent, however, the foliage of the tree was so dense that
it completely shut out all view of the ground beneath; and by the time
that an occasional glimpse of the grassy glade below became visible they
were so near the ground that, as the cunning cacique had anticipated, it
was impossible for them to detect the hiding-places of the concealed
Indians.

At length the two adventurers reached the lowest branch of all; and here
they paused and very carefully scrutinised the ground beneath them. But
if they knew how to obliterate their tracks, so did the Indians, and
there was nothing visible to indicate the presence of forty foes lurking
in the long grass below, or indeed anywhere within the glade.
Therefore, with the assurance begotten of a conviction that they had
succeeded in hoodwinking their foes of the preceding evening, they
boldly ran out along the great spreading branch, seized a liana each,
and slid rapidly to the ground--to find