Red Belt, the Tuscarora — page 49: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE SIGNAL NOTE. $1 egain the two stood on hard ground. The trail was soon found, and the hunters trod swiftly on. The-moon was now creeping slowly up, and then at last, her silver splendor gleamed down into the black shades of the forest. The trail was now very distinct: broken boughs, well beaten turf, and bent flowers and grass, making it unmistak- able. And the trajl,was not.an hour. old. The old hunter paused; his frame was trembling from ex- citement, “Ha! So fresh!” he exclaimed. As he spoke, he bent down and picked up a broken twig. He held it high, so that the moon should shine directly upon it. The sap was still exuding slowly from the broken end. “ We are close upon them, my brother, and Sampson must tell his boy that the old man is near at hand; that he is on the war-path ; that his blood is leaping hot for him !” As he spoke he placed his hands to his mouth, and uttered a long, piercing cry. The woods, so still and sleeping around them, rung and rung again, the wild reverberation flinging back in a grand, seemingly ceaseless ccho, the fierce, defiant scream. Then all again was still. The hunter.and his companion, examining their weapons, and then wrapping their blankets snugly around them, sat down back to back, and again sought peace, strength and rest, in sleep—the faithfal dog, as ever, crouching close to them. The night sped on—then it waned, Then the coming day broke, and at last the sun burst over the trees and drove away the damp, noxious vapors which hung like a winding-sheet of mist over the forest. Then old. Sampson awoke with a start, and sprung to his feet. He glanced quickly at-the sun; then he shook his head, as an uneasy, anxjous frown passed over his face. “ Awake, Red Belt | resi brother | we're late!” he muttered... wien In a moment Red Bid ;ween wide awake; ‘and in ten min- utes the two men had finished their morning meal—eaten not as a luxury, but as a means of giving blood, muscle and strength. Then striking the broad trail, they strode swiftly away. They were soon lost in the shade of the mighty trees of tbe forest. comicboolks.conm