ke hold, and the three boys began this last bit of
service they were ever to have from their much beloved car.

Way was usually a conservative driver but tonight his foot at no time
ceased to press the pedal that increased the gas. Over the smooth spots
and over the rough ones, ruts, roots and hummocks of the hard-baked
earth, the automobile whirred. Rarely did the speedometer show less than
fifteen miles and often the indicator touched twenty-five, and this
while the road was still but the woodland trail.

Luckily the lights were clear and bright, but more fortunate still, Phil
was every moment alert and earnestly attentive to every inch of the road
and every throb of the machine.

Like some swift phantom the blaze of the lamps sped on and on among
the ever retreating shadows and utter blackness of the night. Like
black-hooded spectres the trees at either side seemed to glide ever to
the rear, silent and ghostly except as their branches were tossed by
the rising wind.

It was not until they were far past the bleak, dark house of Nels
Anderson, that Billy shouted his opinion that inquiry should have been
made there. No, Phil called with emphasis, the time for giving heed
to uncertain, unknown persons had passed. He was sorry the arrest of
Murky and of Grandall had not been brought about when first it was
suggested, he said. A lot of things might have turned out differently
if it had been done, and he, at least, believed----

"Look! There's sure fire yonder!" It was Paul's voice interrupting.

The car was fairly clear of the woods and the road now led among the
blackened stumps and rough undergrowth of the district where flames had
raged in time long past.

Far to the west and north the sky was blazing red. The whole distant
horizon of the direction named seemed as if the doors of some mighty,
seething furnace, miles in width, stood open. A rank odor of burning
wood came stronger and stronger on the gusts of wind.

"It's a good ways off and maybe isn't burning much this way," shouted
Worth above the rush of air and whir of the auto's wheels.

"The wind, man! It's sweeping right into the heart of the woods," Phil
answered loudly. But not for a moment did the car slacken speed. The road
was getting better. Staretta was but five miles distant.

"Still, there's not much danger of the fire coming our way. It will go
way north of the lake," Worth replied.

"And that's just the direction Mac's in," echoed Paul Jones