found
buffalo; and that in most instances the fire did not extend to any great
distance, being stopped by marshes, or even narrow streams, when there
was not much wind, and sometimes by a heavy fall of rain.

Robin corroborated what Alick had stated.

"I think the fire has got much nearer than when we first saw it,"
observed Martin. "Should the wind shift, we shall have to run for it,
or the burning trees will be tumbling down upon us and our canoe, and we
shall be very foolish to be thus caught."

In the course of a few minutes after this the wind did shift, and the
flames came leaping and crackling towards us.

"We will follow Martin's advice," said Alick. "We shall have plenty of
time though, I hope, to get our traps on board and shove off. We must
look out for another camping-ground to spend the remainder of the
night."

We hastened down the bank, followed by Bouncer, who stood for some
seconds barking furiously at the fire, as if indignant at its having put
us to flight. We were not long in launching our canoe, reloading her,
and tumbling in the skins; when, shoving off, we paddled to a safe
distance from the shore. In a couple of minutes we saw the flames reach
the base of the narrow line of trees which lined the bank; when, aided
by the dry creepers which encircled them, it climbed up at a rapid rate,
twisting and turning and springing from branch to branch till the whole
wood presented a solid wall of fire. It could not injure us, as the
wind, blowing in the opposite direction, carried the falling boughs away
from the river. The valley a little to the eastward prevented the
conflagration from extending in that direction, but it still gave forth
sufficient light to enable us to select a sheltered bay, into which we
steered the canoe. Here we again landed, hoping to remain unmolested
for the rest of the night. As the wind was cold we lighted a fire,
though we could find no bark with which to put up a lean-to.

We had therefore to sleep as well as we could on the bare ground. Very
frequently one or other of us climbed to the top of the bank to watch
the progress of the flames. They were sweeping along to the west and
south-west, leaving a space in their rear still glowing with the burning
embers.

Alick, who was anxious to get the skins dressed as soon as possible,
again spread them out, and those of us who were unable to sleep employed
ourselves in beating them with the paddles. As soon, also,