amped. I could scarcely walk. The air was
clear, though the fog of smoke overspread the sun. The wind blew strong
with a scent of pitch. Now that I was not riding, the roar of the fire
sounded close. I caught the same strange growl, the note of on-sweeping
fury. Again the creepy cold went over me. I felt my face blanch, and
the skin tighten over my cheeks. I dashed into the cabin, crying: "Fire!
Fire! Fire!"

"Whoop! It's the kid!" yelled Herky-Jerky.

He was lying near the door, red as a brick in the face, and panting
hard. In one cut I severed the rope on his feet; in another, that round
his raw and bloody wrists. Herky had torn his flesh trying to release
his hands.

"Kid, how'd you git back hyar?" he questioned, with his sharp little
eyes glinting on me. "Did the fire chase you? Whar's Leslie?"

"Buell fired the slash. Penetier is burning. Dick and Hiram sent me back
to the pool below, and then didn't come. They got caught--oh!... I'm
afraid--lost!... Then I remembered you fellows. The fire's coming--it's
awful--we must fly!"

"You thought of us?" Herky's voice sounded queer and strangled. "Bud!
Bill! Did you hear thet? Wal, wal!"

While he muttered on I cut Bill's bonds. He rose without a word. Bud was
almost unconscious. He had struggled terribly. His heels had dug a hole
in the hard clay floor; his wrists were skinned; his mouth and chin
covered with earth, probably from his having bitten the ground in
his agony. Herky helped him up and gave him a drink from a little
pocket-flask.

"Herky, if you think you've rid some in your day, look at thet hoss,"
said Bill, coolly, from the door. He eyed me coolly; in fact, he was as
cool as if there were no fire on Penetier. But Bud was white and sick,
and Herky flaming with excitement.

"We hain't got a chance. Listen! Thet roar! She's hummin'."

"It's runnin' up the draw. We don't stand no showdown in hyar. Grab a
hoss now, an' we'll try to head acrost the ridge."

I remounted Target, and the three men caught horses and climbed up
bareback. Bill led the way across the glade, up the slope, into the
level forest. There we broke into a gallop. The air upon this higher
ground was dark and thick, but not so hard to breathe as that lower
down. We pressed on. For a while the roar receded, and almost deadened.
Then it grew clearer again' filled out, and swelled. Bud wanted to sheer
off to the left. Herky swore we were being surrounded. Bill turned a
deaf ear to them.