le in the country are worth."

"Well, I hope it won't come our way tonight," said Mr. Elmer, "and
first thing in the morning I will set the men to work clearing and
ploughing a wide strip entirely around the place. Then we may have some
chance of successfully fighting this new enemy."

Instead of dying out at sunset, as it usually did, the wind increased
to a gale as darkness set in, and Mr. Elmer cast many troubled glances
at the dull red glow in the southern sky before he retired that night.

Mark and Frank occupied the same room, for Mr. March had not yet found
time to build a house, and it seemed to them as though they had but
just fallen asleep when they were aroused by Mr. Elmer's voice calling
through the house,

"Wake up! Everybody dress and come downstairs as quickly as you can.
Mark! Frank! Hurry, boys!"

"What is it, father?" asked Mark, as he tumbled down-stairs and burst
into the sitting-room only about half dressed, but rapidly completing
the operation as he ran. "What's the matter? Is the house on fire?"

"No, my boy, not yet, but it's likely to be very soon if we are not
quick in trying to save it. The piney woods to the south of us are all
in a blaze, and this gale's driving it towards us at a fearful rate. I
want you and Frank to go as quickly as you can across the river and
rouse up every soul in the village. Get every team and plough in
Wakulla, and bring them over, together with every man and boy who can
handle an axe."

Mr. Elmer had hardly finished before both boys were out of the house
and running towards the river. Although it was still several miles off,
they could already hear the roar of the flames rising above that of the
wind, and could smell the smoke of the burning forest.

They were soon across the river, and while Mark ran to the houses of
Mr. Bevil and Mr. Carter to waken those gentlemen, Frank bethought
himself of the church-bell, which hung from a rude frame outside the
building, and hurrying to it, seized the rope and began to pull it
violently.

The effect of the loud clanging of the bell was almost instantaneous,
and the colored people began pouring from their tumble-down old houses,
and hurrying towards the church to see what was the matter. Many of
them in their haste came just as they had jumped from their beds; but
the darkness of the night and their own color combined to hide the fact
that they were not fully dressed, until some light-wood torches were
brought, whe