e, which, caused by the heated air, always springs up during a
conflagration, now rolled the thick, black smoke first in one direction
and then in another, until those who had not already succumbed to the
heat were nearly suffocated, and it seemed impossible that any one could
continue at his work.

The sun had set, although that fact was hardly noticed, since for
several hours the heavy smoke had veiled the scene as with the mantle of
night, through which the flames glowed and flashed luridly.

In the struggle between the men and the flames, first one and then the
other gained a victory; but neither had made any progress.

Ralph and his assistants had opened vent-holes for the oil in the
last-attacked tanks, thereby preventing fully half the oil from
combustion, although it was entirely lost.

The female portion of the workers had long since desisted from any
effort to check the flames, and had continued their work by preparing
food for the laborers, carrying it to them that they might not be
obliged to spend any more time than was absolutely necessary in getting
it.

During all that long night the people worked in relays, that each might
have an opportunity for rest, and when morning came the flames were
well-nigh subdued--not so much through the exertions of those who fought
against them, as because of the fact that there was nothing more
remaining for them to feed upon.

By that time a small body of watchers, in order to see that the
remaining flames did not overleap the boundaries set, was all that was
necessary at the place where ninety thousand barrels of oil had been
consumed or wasted, and for the first time since the thunderstorm had
cleared away, Ralph and George felt that they were at liberty to go
where they chose. Both were begrimed by the smoke until it would have
puzzled their best friends to tell whether they were white men or
negroes, and both were in a very dilapidated condition, so far as
clothing was concerned.

The garments they had cast off when the work of fighting fire was begun,
had been tossed about, trampled on, or scorched until they could no
longer be called serviceable, and, half-clothed, dirty and
disreputable-looking generally as they were, they started wearily for
the town in search of rest, and, what was quite as important, a bath.

Many times during the night had George thought about his missing horses;
but it was not until he was relieved from all care which the
conflagrati