the answer
was in a tone that implied he had not.

"Certain sure," he replied. "The only way to handle a fire is to stick
to it like death to a dead nigger."

Bob returned to the hotel very thoughtful. There he found Mr. Welton
seated comfortably on the verandah, his feet up and a cigar alight.

"This is pretty good medicine," he called to Bob. "Get your feet up, you
long-legged stork, and enjoy yourself. Been exploring?"

"Listening to the band on the plaza," laughed Bob. He drew up a chair.
At that moment the dim figure of California John jingled by. "I wouldn't
like that old fellow's job. He's a ranger, and he's got to go and look
up a forest fire."

"Alone?" asked Welton. "Couldn't they scare up any more? Or are they
over there already?"

"There's three playing poker at the saloon. Looked to me like a fool
way to do. He's just going to take a look and then come back and
report."

"Oh, they're heavy on reports!" said Welton. "Where is the fire; did you
hear?"

"Stone Creek--wherever that is."

"Stone Creek!" yelled Welton, dropping the front legs of his chair to
the verandah with a thump. "Why, our timber adjoins Stone Creek! You
come with me!"

II

Welton strode away into the darkness, followed closely by Bob. He made
his way as rapidly as he could through the village to an attractive
house at the farther outskirts. Here he turned through the picket gate,
and thundered on the door.

It was almost immediately opened by a meek-looking woman of thirty.

"Plant in?" demanded Welton.

The meek woman had no opportunity to reply.

"Sure! Sure! Come in!" roared the Supervisor's great voice.

They entered to find the fat man, his coat off, leaning luxuriously back
in an office chair, his feet up on another, a cigar in his mouth. He
waved a hospitable hand.

"Sit down! Sit down!" he wheezed. "Glad to see you."

"They tell me there's a fire over in the Stone Creek country," said
Welton.

"So it's reported," said Plant comfortably. "I've sent a man over
already to investigate."

"That timber adjoins ours," went on Welton. "Sending one ranger to
investigate don't seem to help the old man a great deal."

"Oh, it may not amount to much," disclaimed Plant vaguely.

"But if it does amount to much, it'll be getting one devil of a start,"
persisted Welton. "Why don't you send over enough men to give it a
fight?"

"Haven't got 'em," replied Plant briefly.

"There's three playing poker now, down