THE FOREST FIRE
John Hampton was somewhat late in leaving the island the next morning.
There had been many things to do, and he found the life so pleasant
that he preferred to stay all day. But it was necessary for him to get
back home to look after the stock, and attend to many other duties
around the place.
"Do you think you can manage all right, John?" Mrs. Hampton anxiously
asked as she and Jess accompanied him to the boat. "I feel that I
should go home too."
"Oh, I shall have no trouble, mother," John assured, her. "But I don't
like to leave you two here alone. I shall be back, though, as early as
I can this evening."
"We shall have a great time together, shan't we?" and Jess turned to
Mrs. Hampton as she spoke. "I am looking forward so much to this day
in such a beautiful spot as this."
"So you won't miss me at all, I suppose?" John queried as he looked
lovingly upon the girl's bright, animated face.
"Indeed we shall," Jess smilingly told him. "But you would not want us
to mope around all day, simply because you are not with us, would you?
We shall look forward to your return this evening."
"And don't forget the milk," Mrs. Hampton reminded. "We forgot to
bring any last night. It was stupid of me. And don't tell anyone
where we are. Keep clear of Mrs. Tobin, if you possibly can."
"That's easier said than done," John laughed, as he pushed off the boat
and sprang lightly on board. "However, I shall do the best I can."
In a few minutes he was skimming over the water, while he kept his eyes
fixed upon the girl standing upon the shore, waving her hand to him
until he had landed and disappeared from view. How happy he was that
morning, and his heart was very light as he boarded his car and started
for the river. He felt sure now of the girl's love, and he begrudged
every minute he was away from her. He would hurry through his work and
get back to the island as speedily as possible.
He had just reached the gate of his home when he heard someone calling.
Looking around, he saw Mrs. Tobin running toward him and waving her
arms for him to stop. He smothered an exclamation of annoyance, as he
pulled up his car.
"Have you seen anything of Eben?" the woman asked. "He left home last
night, and hasn't been back since."
"No, I haven't seen anything of him," John replied. "But don't worry,
Eben is well able to look after himself."
"I suppose he is, but we are all anxious about him. I thought maybe
you'd seen him. You just came up the road, didn't you? Down to the
city, I suppose?"
"No," John curtly replied, as he started the car and drove on, leaving
Mrs. Tobin standing gazing after him.
"She didn't get anything out of me this time," John muttered. "She'll
be more curious now than ever to know where mother and Jess are."
For a couple of hours John worked hard around the place. He then went
into the house for a lunch, which he ate in the kitchen. His thoughts,
however, were back in the hills, to the little cabin in the woods. He
pictured to himself the whole scene, and he longed to be there.
At times during the morning he had paused at his work and looked toward
the lake. Although he could not see the girl of his heart's desire, it
gave him some comfort to turn in her direction and gaze upon the hills
which surrounded her. He did this again when he came out of the house
after his hasty meal. But no sooner had he looked, than he uttered an
exclamation of dismay. The woods in the distance were on fire! Great
clouds of smoke were rolling across the land, and at times blotting the
hills entirely from view. The fire was off to the right, and perhaps a
mile or more away. But he well knew that between it and Island Lake
was a large stretch of blueberry plains. When the fire reached this,
it would travel rapidly, devouring everything in its way. Then it
would sweep through a thicket of fir and spruce trees on the shore of
the lake, and the flames would be sure to leap to the island, which
here was but a short distance across. And Jess and his mother were
there! They could not escape, for they had no boat. And if they did,
where could they go for safety? The fire would reach them no matter
where they went, for from all appearance it was making a wide sweep in
its onward rush.
"Confound Sam Lemon for starting that fire!" he growled. "I feel sure
he did it, for he told me the other day that he was going to burn that
fallow of his. I warned him to be careful, but he only laughed. I
wish I had hold of him now, the scamp!"
John, however, knew that such lamentations would be of no use.
Something must be done and at once if the women on the island were to
be rescued. Just what he could do he was not sure. Anyway, if he were
with them something might be done. He could not leave them there
without an effort to save them. He was greatly excited now, so
hurrying to his car, he sprang on board and started down the road. He
drove faster than usual, and in a short time reached the Rebel Trail,
by which he had come that very morning. Under ordinary circumstances
he would have driven slowly and carefully over the rough way, for there
were gullies formed by the rain, and rocks around which it was
necessary to steer most cautiously. But John was so anxious and
excited that he threw caution to the wind and sent forward the car at a
break-neck speed. For a time all went well until he reached a small
bridge, formed of poles, which had become very rotten. The inevitable
happened, for no sooner had the car touched the bridge than the right
wheel crashed through, and in an instant the car was tightly jammed,
the sudden impact hurling John against the wind-shield, which broke
beneath his weight.
Recovering himself as quickly as possible, he examined the car, and
found the wheel so firmly wedged among a mass of rotten sticks, earth,
and rocks that it could not be removed without assistance. And,
anyway, he did not have time, for every minute was precious with the
fire sweeping steadily onward. The only thing now left was to walk the
rest of the way. By the road this would mean over two miles, but
across country, through the woods, and along the edge of the blueberry
plains it was about one mile shorter. He knew this route well, as he
had travelled it often before he bought the car. He did not relish the
idea of the walk on such a hot day, especially as he would be forced to
hurry as fast as possible if he would win out against the fire.
Leaving the road, he plunged into a growth of young fir trees, made his
way through these, and at length reached a valley where the trees were
larger, and the underbrush was not so thick. This would lead him to
the level beyond where he could obtain a view of the fire, and learn
the real nature of the danger. The heat here was intense, for not a
breath of wind fanned his hot forehead. But steadily and rapidly he
sped forward, and to his great relief reached, at length, the edge of
the woods. Here he stopped and viewed the situation. Below him on his
right was a stretch of country, covered with blueberry bushes, small
fir, pine and spruce trees. It was a desolate region, and the hot sun
had parched the shallow soil which covered the rocks beneath. In
places these rocks protruded above the ground, and presented either
flat surfaces or large cairn-like heaps.
The instant John emerged from the forest he looked anxiously away to
the right, and the sight he beheld filled him with fear and awe. The
forest was a seething mass of flames, and great volumes of smoke were
rolling up into the air. The roar of the fire, and the crashing of
trees could be heard for some distance, growing louder each minute.
The monster was speedily approaching, laying waste all before it. In
another half hour or so it would be through the heavy timber and out
upon the plains where everything would be quickly blasted beneath its
fiery breath. Even now the wind, caused by the fire, was sending forth
flaming branches, and wherever these fell they began to burn most
fiercely.
John realized that the sooner he was out of this place the better, for
at any minute he might become encircled by a roaring furnace. He was
most thankful that the fire had not reached the lake, so he would be in
time to assist the ones on the island in case of need. The only danger
would be from flying embers, but if there, he might be able to stamp
out any flame before it had time to do much damage.
As he hurried along the edge of the plains the roar of the fire became
almost deafening, while the incessant crashing of trees added to the
horror. Never before had he experienced such a forest fire, although
he had heard old men tell with almost bated breath of the wild fires
they had witnessed, and of the destruction which had ensued.
He had gone about half way to the lake, when, happening to glance to
his right, be saw something slowly moving among the bushes some
distance away. As he looked, he noticed that it was a man, who seemed
to be limping painfully among the bushes. At times he stopped, glanced
back, and then staggered forward. Who could it be? he wondered, and
what was he doing over there? That the man needed assistance was
certain, for at the rate he was travelling he would surely be overtaken
by the fire ere he could reach the lake. John was greatly puzzled.
What should he do? He must reach the island in time to save the women,
and yet it was not right to leave the apparently helpless man on the
plains to die.
As he stood there uncertain what to do, the creeping figure among the
bushes suddenly stumbled, and with a wild cry of despair fell headlong
upon the ground. No longer did John hesitate. He sprang forward,
plunged through the bushes, leaped over jagged rocks, and in a few
minutes was by the side of the prostrate man.
"Hello! What's wrong?" he asked. "Can I do anything for you?"
Hearing the sound of a human voice, the fallen man moved, lifted his
head, and looked around. As be did so, John gave a great start and
uttered an exclamation of astonishment. It was Henry Randall!