to topmost branch not twenty yards within the
woods. The whole roadway would be ablaze, on both sides, in a few minutes.

A most pitiable object was Anderson's poor cow. Her head to the ground
as if to escape the smoke, a low, frightened bellowing told of her
realization of the danger. Forgetful of herself the child was saying, "Oh,
poor, good bossy! Oh, poor bossy!"

The small haystack along side the crude, log barn suddenly blazed up. The
dull red glow gave place to a white light all through the clearing. It
was impossible now that any part of the property could be saved. Anderson
and the other man came running to the car.

"It will be a close shave! Can you make it, boys?" cried the one in the
golf cap, above the roar of the flames.

"You bet! Be at the lake in no time! We've often carried more'n six,"
yelled Paul excitedly. "Right in here!" and he held the tonneau door open
wide. "You in front with Phil, Mr. Anderson!"

Even as Jones followed Mrs. Anderson, the little girl and the golfing
man into the tonneau, and slammed the door behind him, the Thirty was
under way. Its staunch gears were never before so quickly shifted from low
to high. What mattered it if Paul did sit down hard in the strange man's
lap? What mattered it if poor Nels, unused to automobiles, was jerked
nearly from his seat before he got his great, clumsy legs quite inside?
The raging sea of fire was bordering the trail ahead, and hundreds of
little tongues of flames leaped here and there in the parched, dry grass
and weeds in the road itself.

With frightened, staring eyes Paul looked with wonder upon the dreadful
flames leaping from one treetop to another. The man beside him was
shielding his face from the terrible glare and heat and the woman and
little girl clung tightly to each other, the former watching only the
child and holding a hand to protect her face. As if dazed and unable to
comprehend, Nels Anderson looked always back toward the doomed clearing.

Phil Way alone watched the road ahead. With firm set jaw and straining
eyes he looked ever forward through the blinding glare and the billows
of smoke that now and again concealed the trail completely. But his
hands gripped the wheel with perfect confidence, his foot pressed the
accelerator steadily. The gallant car responded. The ground seemed
speeding from under its wheels. On and on it flew.

Thus far the fire had raged to the west of the road only. In but a few
places had it rea