Spears of flame led the advance. The
flame licked up the dry surface-grass and brush, and, meeting the pines,
circled them in a whirlwind of fire, like lightning flashing upward. Then
came prolonged reports, and after that a long, blistering roar in the
tree-tops. Even as I gazed, appalled in the certainty of a horrible fate, I
thrilled at the grand spectacle. Fire had always fascinated me. The clang
of the engines and the call of "Fire!" would tear me from any task or play.
But I had never known what fire was. I knew now. Storms of air and sea were
nothing compared to this. It was the greatest force in nature. It was fire.
On one hand, I seemed cool and calculated the chances; on the other, I had
flashes in my brain, and kept crying out crazily, in a voice like a
whisper: "Fire! Fire! Fire!"
But presently the wall of fire rolled by and took the roar with it. Dense
billows of smoke followed, and hid everything in opaque darkness. I heard
the hiss of failing sparks and the crackle of burning wood, and
occasionally the crash of a failing branch. It was intolerably hot, but I
could stand the heat better than the air. I coughed and strangled. I could
not get my breath. My eyes smarted and burned. Crawling close under the
bank, I leaned against it and waited.
Some hours must have passed.
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