s made it brought to view the tawny
horizontal form that seemed to be clinging to the bridle, as if riding
for life. Suddenly there arose a cry from the islanders:

"Look! look! Who has done it? There is a counter-fire ahead. _They_ will
all perish!"

A mile or more in front of the island, and in the opposite direction
from the other fire, another great billow of smoke arose spirally into
the air. The people and animals who had been fleeing toward the creek,
which they thought contained water, but which was dry, all turned and
came running toward the island grove. Even the birds came beating back.

"_That_ fire was set by the Indians," said the harvesters. "It is
started across the track of the other fire to destroy us all. An Indian
set the fires."

"That is an Indian skirting around us on the back of a horse," said
another. "He is holding on to the horse by the mane with his hands, and
by the flanks with his feet. The Indians have done this!"

"The other fire will run back, though against the wind. The prairie is
so dry that the fire will run everywhere. We must set a counter-fire."

"Set a counter-fire!" exclaimed many voices.

The purpose of the counter-fire was to destroy the dry grass, so that
when the other fires should reach the place it would find nothing to
burn.

"But the people!" said Jasper. "See them! They are hurrying here; a
counter-fire would drive them away!"

An awful scene followed. Horses, cattle, animals of many kinds came
panting to the island. Many of them had been fleeing for miles, and sank
down under the trees as if ready to perish. There was one enormous bison
among them. The tops of the trees were filled with birds, cawing and
uttering a chaos of cries. The air seemed to rain birds, and the earth
to pour forth animals. The sky above turned to inky blackness. Men,
women, and children came rushing into the trees from every direction,
some crying on Heaven for mercy, some begging for water, all of them
exhausted and seemingly ready to die. The island grove was like a great
funeral pyre.

Jasper lifted his hands and called the school and the people around him,
knelt down, and prayed for help amid the cries of distress that rose on
every hand. He then looked for the black horse and the plumed rider
again.

They were drawing near in the darkening air. The figure of the rider was
more distinct. The people saw it, and cried, "An Indian!" Some said, "It
is a scout!" and others, "It is h