Fritz had so far recovered from his injuries as
to be able to crawl out of the hut and sit on a bench outside, which the
two had constructed under a rude sort of porch, Eric determined to
signalise his brother's convalescence by having a bonfire in honour of
the event.

To the impulsive lad it was all one to think of such a thing and to
carry out the idea. In a moment, rushing from Fritz's side, he had
drawn his inseparable box of matches from his pocket, struck a light,
and ignited the pile of rubbish.

"Doesn't it flare up splendidly?" he cried with glee as he watched the
tongue-like flames darting upwards, the whole body of dry material being
soon in a red fiery glow, so hot and scorching that the lad had to move
away from the vicinity; and, returning to the front of the hut he stood
for a time by the side of Fritz, gazing with great admiration at the
blaze, which, mounting higher and higher, quickly enveloped the gorge
with clouds of that light, pungent smoke which wood fires always give
out.

"Yes, it burns well enough," said the calm, methodical Fritz; "but,
perhaps, laddie, it will spread farther than you intend. I fear it will
burn up the little wood to the right of our garden, with all the poor
thrushes and other birds in it. It is easy enough to start a fire, you
know: the difficulty is to limit its action and put it out when you
wish!"

"Oh, there's no fear about that," replied Eric with great nonchalance.
"The wind is blowing from the north-east and will only carry the flames
against the cliff, where there is nothing to harm."

Was there not?

Higher and higher rose the smoke, ascending pyramidically up the
chimney-like gorge; and, the quick-darting tongues of flame could be
seen spreading through the hazy veil, while the crackle and roar of the
fire sounded fiercer and fiercer. Presently, growing bolder in its
strength, the fire advanced outwards from the cleft in the rock where it
was first kindled, spreading to the right and left of the gully. Next,
it began to clamber up the face of the cliff, burning away gaily even
right under the waterfall, which seemed powerless to stay its rapid
progress.

"Look, Eric," cried Fritz, "it has caught the tussock grass now close to
our ladder. I told you it would do mischief!"

"Bother it all, so it has!" exclaimed the lad, darting off with the vain
intention of trying to stop the conflagration.

He might just as well have attempted to arrest the flow