When we reached the grove of trees, I was amazed by the trees' great size and unusual appearance.
"A house up there will be the safest and most charming home in the world," I said.
"I knew you'd like it," said my wife.
"Now I think we should prepare a meal."
Ernest started fetching large, flat stones for a fireplace while Franz gathered wood.
"What kind of trees do you think these are?" asked Ernest.
"They must be mangroves or wild figs.
I've heard of their great height and strange curving roots," I replied.
Just then little Franz came up with a large bundle of sticks.
He was happily chewing something.
"Oh, Mother, this is so good!" he said.
"What are you eating?" she cried in alarm.
"It's probably poisonous. Spit it out right now!"
"Where did you find this?"
I bent down and saw what appeared to be a half-chewed fig.
"There are thousands of them in the grass over there," said Franz.
"These do appear to be fig trees, but you must never eat anything without showing it to me first. Promise?" I asked him.
Franz nodded in agreement.
After we ate, our first task was to make a rope ladder with wood steps.
The older boys and I went to the beach to gather wood while Franz stayed behind with my wife.
She started making harnesses for the cow and donkey.
We soon had the ladder fastened securely to the tree above and the ground below.
"I want to climb up first!" cried Jack. "Please, Father."
"No, Father," said Ernest. "I should because—"
"I'm the oldest," Fritz interrupted him to remind us.
"Jack will have the honor," I said, "because he asked so nicely."
Jack quickly sprang to the top of the ladder.
"Three cheers for the nest!" he exclaimed.
I gave Fritz a rope to take up, and then Ernest and I followed him on the ladder.
"Send up the pulley," I called to my wife as I dangled the rope next to the ladder.
She tied the pulley to the rope, and I hauled it up.
Then I fastened it to a branch overhead so it would be ready for the next day's work.
We awoke early the next morning.
My wife milked the goats and cow while the boys and I fed the animals.
After that we went down to the beach to collect more wood for our house.
We harnessed the cow and donkey to the larger beams and dragged the rest ourselves.
Fritz and I then climbed the tree to finish the preparations.
We cut many branches to clear a living space.
But we left a few on which to hang our hammocks.
Higher up, we kept some branches to support a sailcloth roof.
My wife fastened the boards to the rope, and I used the pulley to haul them up.
Fritz and I arranged the boards to make a smooth, solid floor.
Then we built two walls.
Our house was now enclosed on three sides because the great trunk formed a wall behind us.
We left the front open to let in the fresh sea breeze.
After attaching the sailcloth roof, our next job was to haul up our hammocks and hang them.
We had been working all day, but a few hours of sunlight remained.
Using the last of the wood, we made a table and benches.
Finally Fritz and I, exhausted, threw ourselves on the grass.
My wife arranged supper on our new table.
We were just finishing supper when the pig appeared.
My wife gave it all the milk that was left.
"The milk will be sour before morning in this heat," she said.
"You're right," I said.
"The next time Fritz and I visit the wreck, we'll try to bring back a butter churn."
"Must you really return to that dreadful wreck?" My wife shuddered.
"You have no idea how anxious I am when you're there."
"We must go back, but not tomorrow," I told her.
"Come, it's getting late. Time for sleep."
We lit our watch fires to keep away any wild animals.
Fritz, Ernest, and Jack climbed up the ladder in a moment.
Mother followed very cautiously.
Although she had wanted to build this nest, she hesitated at the idea of sleeping so far off the ground.
When she was safely in the house, I took little Franz on my back.
I released the fasteners that held the lower end of the ladder to the ground.
With the ladder swinging to and fro, we slowly went up, leaving the dogs below.