wind to carry him along through the blackened timber.

"And I just bet that old fire has been squashed out before this,"
spluttered Bluff. "Don't you say so, Frank?"

"If it hasn't, it soon will be. Did you ever see it come down harder?"

"Must be trying to make up for the drouth of the last two months. Mr.
Mabie said that when it did come we'd likely get a drencher. We're
getting it, all right," declared Jerry.

For another half hour they kept on, though the walking was very hard.

"A fine-looking crowd we are," declared Frank, as he surveyed his
blackened leggings and sodden coat.

"But it seems to me things don't look quite so bad around here,"
observed Will.

"Well, they don't, for a fact. Frank, we've reached the fire limit, I do
believe!" cried Bluff.

Everybody was glad to know it, for many reasons. The walking would be
better, they could by degrees wash off the black stains that had been
covering their clothes, and last, but far from least, the camp would be
safe.

"I'll never forget this day's experience, that's sure," Jerry was
saying, half an hour later, as, they still plodded on, with some miles
still ahead of them that must be gone over before they reached camp.