He stopped at the base of the trunk of the first tall tree.

Up he went with much of the speed of a squirrel.
Higher and higher he made his way among the branches.
"Say, be careful there, Dick!" called Tom Reade, warningly.

"If you get a tumble-----" "I'm not a booby, I hope," Dick called down, as he went to still loftier heights.

He was now among the slender uppermost branches, where a boy would need to be a fine climber in order to make such swift progress.

Even Dick Prescott might readily enough snap a branch now, and come tumbling to earth.
"Stop!" warned Tom.