"That line of fire is miles long, and is spreading fast. It'll shoot up
the canyons and crisscross the forest in no time. Bent, what'll we do?"
"Mebbe we can get around the line. We must, or we'll have to make tracks
for the mountain, an' thet's a long chance. You take to the left an' I'll
go to the right, an' we'll see how the fire's runnin'."
"What will Ken do?"
"Wal, let him stay here--no, thet won't do! We might get driven back a
little an' have to circle. The safest place in this forest is where we
camped. Thet's not far. Let him drive the ponies back thar an' wait."
"All right. Ken, you hustle the pack-team back to our last night's camp.
Wait there for us. We won't be long."
Dick galloped off through the forest, and Hiram went down the slope in
almost the opposite direction. Left alone, I turned my horse and drove the
pack-ponies along our back-trail. Thus engaged, I began to recover somewhat
from the terror that had stupefied me. Still, I kept looking back. I found
the mouth of the canyon and the trail, and in what I thought a very short
time I reached the bare, rocky spot where we had last camped. The horses
all drank thirstily, and I discovered that I was hot and dry.
Then I waited. At every glance I expected to see Dick and Hiram riding up
the canyon.
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