The fall had been an exceptionally dry one in that section of the middle
west, and in consequence several forest fires had occurred, several not
far from Bixton. Thus, when a few mornings following Jack's arrival he
and Alex proposed a visit to the old house in the woods where Alex had
had his thrilling experience with the foreign trackmen, Mrs. Ward
objected.
"You know there was a fire but five miles west yesterday, Alex," she
said.
"But that was only in the grass along the track, Mother, and the
section-men soon had it out. They are watching everywhere. And on the
first sign of smoke we will light for home like good fellows--won't we,
Jack?" he promised. Somewhat reluctantly Mrs. Ward finally consented, and
gave the boys a lunch, and they set off to make a day of it.
Paying a visit first to the abandoned brick-yard, it was noon when Jack
and Alex emerged from the woods at the rear of the deserted old cabin.
"So that's it!" exclaimed Jack with keen interest as they went forward.
"And up there is the very door you dropped from, I suppose?"
"Yes, that is it. Still half open, too--just as I left it. And over there
is the barn and cow-stable. But let us have lunch first, and I'll explain
everything afterward," Alex said, leading the way toward the house. "I am
as hollow as a bass-drum."
Ten minutes later, sitting on the cabin floor just within the doorway,
eating and chatting, the two boys became suddenly silent, and sniffed at
the air. With an exclamation both leaped to their feet, and to the door.
Rolling from the trees at the southern border of the clearing was a white
bank of smoke. The woods were on fire!
"Which way?" cried Jack, as they sprang forth. "The railroad?"
Alex darted to the corner of the house and glanced about. "No! The wind
has swung to the southwest! We'd never make it! North, for the
brick-yard! Come on!
"If we are cornered there, we can swim the river," he explained as they
ran. "The fire isn't likely to cross the water."
They reached the trees, and immediately found themselves in a madly
frightened procession. At their feet scurried rabbits, squirrels,
chipmunks. A fox flashed by within a yard of them. Overhead, birds
screamed and called in terror.
On they dashed, and a ghostly yellow light began to envelop them. "The
smoke overhead," said Alex. "It will soon be down here, too."
"I smell it," panted Jack a moment later. Soon they began to feel it in
their eyes.
Jack began to lag. "How much farther, Alex?" he gasped.
"Only a short distance, now. Yes, here we are," announced Alex, as
brighter light appeared ahead of them. A moment after they broke into the
clearing.
Without slackening pace Alex headed for the old semaphore. "From up there
we can see just how we stand," he explained. Almost exhausted, they
reached it, and Alex ran up the ladder. Scrambling onto the little
platform, he turned toward the river, two hundred yards distant. A cry
broke from him.
"We are cut off! The fire has crossed the river!"
Jack hastily clambered up beside him, and above the tree-tops beyond the
river he beheld a gray-white cloud.
The boys gazed at one another with paling faces. "What shall we do?"
asked Jack.
Alex shook his head. "We might swim the river, and try a dash for it. It
is two miles out of the woods, but there might be a chance."
"We couldn't do it. We're too nearly exhausted.
"How about staying right in the river, by the bank?" Jack suggested.
"I've heard of people doing that."
"It is too deep here, and it's awfully cold. We would chill and cramp in
no time.
"No; I tell you," went on Alex suddenly. "We'll try one of the old tile
ovens on the other side of the yard. Perhaps we can box ourselves up in
one of them."
There was no time to lose, for the clearing was now blue with smoke, and
climbing hastily to the ground, the boys were again off on the run. They
reached the group of round-topped ovens.
A glance showed that their hope was futile. All about the furnaces were
thickets of dead weeds, and a short distance away, and directly to
windward, was a huge pile of light brushwood.
Promptly Alex turned back. "We would be smothered or roasted in five
minutes," he declared. "No. It is the water, or nothing. Perhaps we can
work it by floating on a log."
As they approached the river, the boys crossed the old yard siding.
Stumbling over the rails, partially blinded with the now stinging smoke,
both suddenly ran into something, and fell in a heap. Scrambling to their
feet, they found an old push-car, with low sides.
Alex uttered a cry. "Jack, why can't we make a dash down the spur with
this old car--pushing it? And say, couldn't we lift it onto the main-line
rails, and run all the way home?"
Jack hesitated. "Look there," he said, pointing to the wall of smoke into
which the track disappeared a hundred yards away. "And wouldn't there be
burned-down trees across the rails?"
"No; not yet. The fire hasn't been burning long enough. And as to the
smoke, it'll soon be just as bad on the river," Alex declared.
"All right. Let us try it. But first, let us jump in the river and get
good and wet," suggested Jack.
"Good idea! Come on!
"Or; wait!" exclaimed Alex. "Another idea. There is an old rubbish pile
just over here, and a lot of tin cans. Let us get some, and fill them
with water--to keep our handkerchiefs wet, to breathe through."
They turned aside, quickly found and secured several empty cans each, and
ran on. Reaching the water, they dropped the cans on the bank, and
plunged in bodily.
As Alex had said, the water was intensely cold, and despite the relief to
their eyes from the smoke, they clambered out again immediately, hastily
filled the tins, and only pausing to tie their dripping handkerchiefs
over their mouths, dashed back for the siding.
"You help me start her, Jack," directed Alex as they placed the cans of
water in the forward end of the car, "and when we reach the edge of the
woods, jump in. I'll run it the first spell, then you can relieve me.
That way we can keep it going at a good clip.
"All ready? Let her go!" With bowed heads they threw themselves against
the little car, the rusty wheels began to screech; rapidly they gained
headway, and soon were on the run.
They neared the smoke-hidden border of the clearing.
[Illustration: WITH A RUSH THEY DASHED INTO THE WALL OF SMOKE.]
"Jump in, Jack!" cried Alex. Jack sprang over the tail-board and threw
himself flat on his face, and with a rush they dashed into the wall of
smoke.
Rumbling and screeching, the car sped onward. Alex began to feel the
heat. Suddenly it swept over them like the breath of a furnace, and there
came a mighty roar.
They were in the midst of the flames.
"Are you all right, Alex?" cried Jack.
"Yes." A moment later, however, Alex too sprang into the car, as he did
so tearing off his handkerchief and stuffing it into one of the
water-cans. "I couldn't have held on another minute," he choked. "I
believe the handkerchief was burning."
Jack prepared to climb out to take Alex's place.
"No! Lay still!" interposed Alex. "The car will run by itself here.
There's a down grade."
Jack dropped back thankfully. "Isn't it awful," he gasped. "My eyes are
paining as though they would burst."
On rushed the car down the roaring, crackling tunnel of flames, groaning
and screeching like a mad thing. Tongues of fire began to lick over the
sides of the car at the cringing boys within.
Faster the car went. Presently it began to rock. "She'll be off the
track!" cried Jack at last.
"Lie farther over!" directed Alex above the roar, himself moving in the
opposite direction. The rearrangement steadied the car slightly, but
still it rocked and plunged on the long unused track so that at times the
boys' hearts leaped into their throats.
The heat was now terrific. The floor and sides of the car began to
blister and crack.
"We can't stand it much longer! We'll be cooked!" coughed Jack.
"Empty one of the cans over your head," Alex shouted. "Keep up a few
minutes longer, and we will be over the worst. It is the leaves and brush
that are making the heat, and we'll soon be where they have burned out.
"I think we are over the worst of it now," he announced a moment later.
"There's not so much crackling; and I don't think it is so hot."
Simultaneously the car began to leap less wildly, then perceptibly to
slow up. Alex at once prepared to climb out again. "I'll give her another
run," he said. But promptly Jack pressed him back. "No you don't! I'm
going to take my turn." And in another moment he was out in the full
glare of the still shrivelling heat, rushing the car on at the top of his
speed. A hundred yards he drove it, and scrambled back within, gasping
for breath. Emptying one of the remaining cans over Jack's head, Alex
sprang out and took his place.
A moment after, they struck a slight up grade. Alex uttered a joyful
shout. "Only a short run farther, Jack, and we're out of the woods!"
But immediately he followed this glad announcement with one of new alarm.
"The washout! I'd forgotten it! It's just ahead! The rails there almost
hang in the air!"
In a panic Alex slowed up. Jack climbed out beside him. "Let us rush it,"
he suggested. "The rails may hold--like a bridge. We're not heavy. And we
may as well take one more chance."
Alex debated. "All right! Come on! And jump quick when I say! I think I
can tell when we are near it."
Once more the car was flying onward through the haze.
"Here we come! _Now!_"
With a bound Jack was back in the car. Alex made a final rush, and sprang
after. The car dipped forward and sideways, a breathless instant seemed
to hang in mid-air, then righted, and shot forward smoothly. Uttering a
hoarse shout of joy, the boys leaped out, and were again running the car
ahead, and a moment later gave vent to a second and louder cry.
In their faces blew the cooler air of a clearing.
A few yards farther they halted.
"I can't see a thing. Can't open them," declared Jack, as they stood
rubbing their eyes, and recovering their breath.
"Neither can I. Give me your hand, and we'll soon fix it. There is a path
here down to the water." Feeling with his foot, Alex found it, and
pulling Jack after, hastened down, and in another moment both were on
their stomachs on the river-bank, their faces deep in the cooling water.
Ten minutes later, greatly revived, but with faces and hands intensely
smarting from their burns, the boys replenished the cans of water--for
they still had a two miles' run through the smother of smoke--and lifted
the car onto the main-line rails.
As they did so, from far to the west came a whistle.
"A train! Can't we stop her?" suggested Jack.
"They'd never see us in the smoke."
"Then, say, let us throw the old car across the tracks, so they'll strike
it. They would probably stop to see what it was."
"It might derail her. No. I've got it. Come on, and get the car started
so she'll cross the bridge, and I'll explain."
"Now," said Jack, as they rolled out on the trestle.
"You remember the steep grade just over the bridge? Well, we'll stop
about fifty yards this side, wait till the train whistles the last
crossing, then hit it up for all we are worth, and--"
"And let the train catch us?" cried Jack. "But, gracious! won't that be
taking an awful chance?"
"No, for she won't be going very fast, on account of the curve at the
bottom, and we'll be going like a house afire," declared Alex,
confidently. "And when she bunts us, we'll jump for her cow-catcher, and
five minutes later we'll be out in the glorious fresh air again."
[Illustration: CLOSER CAME THE ROARING MONSTER.]
"Well, all right. If you are willing to take the risk, I am," said Jack.
They reached the spot designated by Alex, and brought the car to a stand.
Again came the whistle of the train. "Ready!" cried Alex. "The next
time!"
It came. Like sprinters they threw themselves at the car, and in a few
strides were racing down the rails at full speed; reached the head of the
grade, and sprang over the tail-board just as the train rumbled onto the
bridge.
Downward they shot, gaining momentum at every turn of the wheels.
"Whe-ew! But we're taking an awful chance," said Jack, nervously.
"No. Listen to her brakes," said Alex.
Despite his assurance, when, a moment later, the great engine suddenly
appeared out of the smoke and came thundering down upon them, Alex
faltered, and, with Jack, nervously clutched the sides of the little car.
But dashing on unrestrained, they yet further increased their mad speed,
and for a few seconds seemed even to be holding their own with the mighty
mogul.
Then the great engine began eating up the distance between them, and the
boys gathered themselves together for the supreme moment.
Closer came the roaring monster. "Now, don't jump," cautioned Alex, who
had regained his nerve. "Wait until she is just going to hit us, then
fall forward and grab the brace--that rod there.
"Here she comes! Ready! _Now!_"
With a jolt the engine hit the car, and in an instant the boys fell
forward, grasped a smoke-box brace, and in another moment had scrambled
to the top of the cow-catcher.
And they were safe!
When, ten minutes later, the train came to a standstill at Bixton, the
engineer suddenly felt his hair rise on end as two wildly unkempt and
blackened figures appeared slowly dismounting from the front of his
engine, and stumbled across the station platform. But the shout of joy
which greeted them told they were no ghosts.
"Although I think we weren't far from it, were we, Jack?" said Alex, at
home a few minutes after, when his mother made a similar comparison.
"I hope I'll not be as near it again for a long time to come," said Jack,
earnestly.