Red Belt, the Tuscarora — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

As he spoke he hurried off once more, half springing, half~ stepping from bough to bough. The others at once followed. An hour passed—then another; and at last, just as the day _ Was breaking, the old hunter paused and looked around him. The forest was clearing up, getting more open, and the clustering vines, which had for so great a distance bound the trees together in such a complete network, were now broken and scattered. The old man looked about him for a mo- ment. “Tis over, boys!’ he muttered, “ and it has been hard work !” In a moment he iniopatcatiey were on a limb, near the brake below them, for the vines had ceased to clamber high up—and grasping the branch of the tree with his right hand, holding his faithful rifle in his left, he swung himself off, and dropping through the bushes, alighted safely on the hard a ground below. In a moment, Red Belt and Roydon Howe —™ stood by him. — Without waiting longer than to stretch themselves, they _ hurried off, through the dim light of the early dawn. Grad- — _ jally the light increased, and the sun arose, Suddenly old Sampson stopped and glanced down at his feet. Then he let - Grop his rifle, and leaning upon it, silently gazed for a moment_ ~ at what had attracted his attention. ; | Without speaking, he pointed to the plain, unmistakable trace f moccasin-tracks upon the dewy grass. The others looked — 00, but said not a word, though their faces were anxious and serious. “We will have trouble, boys!’ muttered the old man; “the — ~~ rascals know our plana They'll try and ambush us, by the — Jhio. Well—well! Whistling Dick has never lied! Come!” . and again they plunged ahead. _- At length they reached the rolling hills. Here the little | "party paused by a spring, near which was an open sward. ~ It — _ seemed like a sort of stopping-place. a Phe old hunter placed his rifle beside a tree, and then uttered — @ quick, short halloo. Again and again he sent sock Sos - Suddenly a quick rushing noise was heard—the bushes parted, | and Eagle, splashed with mud, end Yoking gry and gaan, ra nt,