During this time the First Class in Long Division roamed, in delight,
over the city. The busy streets, the shops, the handsome buildings,
and the queer sights which they occasionally met, interested and
amused them greatly. But still the boys were not satisfied. They had
heard of the Fragile Palm, and they made up their minds to go and
have a look at it. Therefore, taking a guide, they tramped out into
the country, and in about an hour they came in sight of the beautiful
tree standing in the centre of the plain. The trunk was, indeed,
exceedingly slender, and, as the guide informed them, the wood was of
so very brittle a nature that if the tree had not been protected from
the winds by the high hills which encircled it, it would have been
snapped off ages ago. Under the broad tuft of leaves that formed its
top, the boys saw hanging large clusters of the precious fruit; great
nuts as big as their heads.

"At what time of the year," asked the oldest boy, "is that fruit just
ripe enough to eat?"

"Now," answered the guide. "This is the season when it is in the most
perfect condition. In about a month it will become entirely too ripe
and soft, and will drop. But, even then, the King and all the rest of
us are glad enough to get a taste of it."

"I should think the King would be exceedingly eager to get some of
it, just as it is," said the boy.

"Indeed he is!" replied the guide. "He and his father, and I don't
know how many grandfathers back, have offered large rewards to any
one who would procure them this fruit in its best condition. But
nobody has ever been able to get any yet."

"The reward still holds good, I suppose," said the head boy.

"Oh, yes," answered the guide; "there never was a King who so much
desired to taste the fruit as our present monarch."

The oldest boy looked up at the top of the tree, shut one eye, and
gave his head a little wag. Whereupon every boy in the class looked
up, shut one eye, and slightly wagged his head. After which the
oldest boy said that he thought it was about time for them to go back
to the ship.

As soon as they reached the vessel, and could talk together freely,
the boys had an animated discussion. It was unanimously agreed that
they would make an attempt to get some of the precious fruit from the
Fragile Palm, and the only difference of opinion among them was as to
how it should be done. Most of them were in favor of some method of
climbing the tree and trusting to it