the coming flames.

A stranger seeing it all would have felt sure that the remedy would
have been as bad as the disease, for the fire which Harry himself
made every now and again seemed to get the better of those who were
endeavoring to control it. There might perhaps be a quarter of a mile
between the front of the advancing fire and the line at which Harry
had commenced to destroy the food which would have fed the coming
flames. He himself, as quickly as he lighted the grass, which in
itself was the work but of a moment, would strain himself to the
utmost at the much harder task of controlling his own fire, so that
it should not run away from him, and get, as it were, out of his
hands, and be as bad to him as that which he was thus seeking to
circumvent. The German and Jacko worked like heroes, probably with
intense enjoyment of the excitement, and, after a while, found a
fourth figure among the flames, for Mickey had now returned.

"You saw them," Harry said, panting with his work.

"They's all right," said Mickey, flopping away with a great bough;
"but that tarnation Chinese has gone off."

"My word! Sing Sing. Find him at Boolabong," said Jacko.

The German, whose gum-tree bough was a very big one, and whose every
thought was intent on letting the fire run while he still held it in
hand, had not breath for a syllable.

But the back fire was extending itself, so as to get round them.
Every now and then Harry extended his own line, moving always forward