hoarse laughter, a gasping cheer, and then
silence, for now their play was over, and it was with the grim
quietness, which is not unusual with their kind, the men of Silverdale
turned towards the fire. It rolled towards the homestead, a waving
crimson wall, not fast, but with remorseless persistency, out of the
dusky prairie, and already the horses were plunging in the smoke of it.
That, however, did not greatly concern the men, for the bare fire
furrows stretched between themselves and it; but there was also another
blaze inside the defenses, and, unless it was checked, nothing could
save house and barns and granaries, rows of costly binders, and stock
of prairie hay. They looked for a leader, and found one ready, for
Winston's voice came up through the crackle of the fire:

"Some of you lead the saddle-horses back to the willows and picket
them. The rest to the stables and bring out the working beasts. The
plows are by the corral, and the first team that comes up is to be
harnessed to each in turn. Then start in, and turn over a full-depth
furrow a furlong from the fire."

There was no confusion, and already the hired men were busy with two
great machines until Winston displaced two of them.

"How that fire passed the guards I don't know, but there will be time
to find out later," he said to Dane. "Follow with the big breaker--it
wants a strong man to keep that share in--as close as you can."

Then they were off, a man at the heads of the leading horses harnessed
to the great machines, and Winston sitting very intent in the
driving-seat of one, while the tough sod crackled under the rending
shares. Both the man and the reins were needed when the smoke rolled
down on them, but it was for a moment torn aside again, and there
roared up towards the blurred arch of indigo a great rush of flame.
The heat of it smote into prickliness the uncovered skin, and in spite
of all that Winston could do, the beasts recoiled upon the machine
behind them. Then they swung round wrenching the shares from the
triplex furrow, and for a few wild minutes man and terrified beast
fought for the mastery. Breathless half-strangled objurgations, the
clatter of trace and swivel, and the thud of hoofs, rose muffled
through the roar of the fire, for, while swaying, plunging, panting,
they fought with fist and hoof, it was rolling on, and now the heat was
almost insupportable. The victory, however, was to the men, and when
the great ma