“The problem of the descent is at first sight a formidable one,” said he, “and yet I cannot doubt that the intellect can solve it.  I am prepared to agree with our colleague that a protracted stay in Maple White Land is at present inadvisable, and that the question of our return will soon have to be faced.  I absolutely refuse to leave, however, until we have made at least a superficial examination of this country, and are able to take back with us something in the nature of a chart.”

Professor Summerlee gave a snort of impatience.

“We have spent two long days in exploration,” said he, “and we are no wiser as to the actual geography of the place than when we started.  It is clear that it is all thickly wooded, and it would take months to penetrate it and to learn the relations of one part to another.  If there were some central peak it would be different, but it all slopes downwards, so far as we can see.  The farther we go the less likely it is that we will get any general view.”

It was at that moment that I had my inspiration.  My eyes chanced to light upon the enormous gnarled trunk of the gingko tree which cast its huge branches over us.  Surely, if its bole exceeded that of all others, its height must do the same.  If the rim of the plateau was indeed the highest point, then why should this mighty tree not prove to be a watchtower which commanded the whole country?  Now, ever since I ran wild as a lad in Ireland I have been a bold and skilled tree-climber.  My comrades might be my masters on the rocks, but I knew that I would be supreme among those branches.  Could I only get my legs on to the lowest of the giant off-shoots, then it would be strange indeed if I could not make my way to the top.  My comrades were delighted at my idea.

“Our young friend,” said Challenger, bunching up the red apples of his cheeks, “is capable of acrobatic exertions which would be impossible to a man of a more solid, though possibly of a more commanding, appearance.  I applaud his resolution.”

“By George, young fellah, you’ve put your hand on it!” said Lord John, clapping me on the back.  “How we never came to think of it before I can’t imagine!  There’s not more than an hour of daylight left, but if you take your notebook you may be able to get some rough sketch of the place.  If we put these three ammunition cases under the branch, I will soon hoist you on to it.”

He stood on the boxes while I faced the trunk, and was gently raising me when Challenger sprang forward and gave me such a thrust with his huge hand that he fairly shot me into the tree.  With both arms clasping the branch, I scrambled hard with my feet until I had worked, first my body, and then my knees, onto it.  There were three excellent off-shoots, like huge rungs of a ladder, above my head, and a tangle of convenient branches beyond, so that I clambered onwards with such speed that I soon lost sight of the ground and had nothing but foliage beneath me.