rt jerked into the boat a fine speckled trout caught by the
bait of a garden worm. He had captured half-a-dozen in half-an-hour.

'One would think the mists were come already,' said Linda, still gazing
at the waved outline of the shore. 'There seems to be fog away yonder.'

'The captain burning his fallow, I presume,' said Robert, raising his
eyes from his hook. But the smoke was larger than that would account
for.

'We will paddle a little nearer and investigate,' said he, laying down
his tackle. A dread of suspicion stole into his mind, which whitened his
very lips.

They approached and coasted; the smell of burning wood becoming
stronger--the smoke hanging over those headlands denser.

It was as he feared--the forest was on fire.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE FOREST ON FIRE.

Robert drew his paddle into the canoe, and sat perfectly still for some
moments, gazing towards the fire and taking in its circumstances. They
could hear the dull roar of the blaze distinctly, and even caught a
glimpse of its crimson glare through an opening in the tall pines
fringing the lake. It must have been burning a couple of hours to have
attained such mastery. Dark resinous smoke hung heavily in the air: a
hot stifling gust of it swept down on the canoe.

'The wind is towards the pond, most providentially,' said Robert, taking
up his paddle, and beginning to stroke the water vigorously towards home.
'The burning _may_ do no harm; but fire is a fearful agent to set afoot.
I'm sure the captain heartily wishes his kindling undone by this time.'

'Is there no danger to the farm, Robert?' asked his sister, who had
become blanched with fear. 'I never heard such a terrible sound as that
raging and crackling.'

'To Daisy Burn none, I should say; for, of course, the man had sense
enough to fire the bush only a long way down in front, an extensive
clearing rather round the house, and the breeze will keep away the
blaze.'

'Thank God,' fervently ejaculated Linda. 'I wish we could bring Miss
Armytage and little Jay to the Creek while it lasts. Wouldn't you go
across for them, Bob? I know they must be frightened.'

Robert hardly heard her, and certainly did not take in the import of her
words. With some wonder at his set face and earnest watch along shore,
she did not press her wish. He was looking at the belt of fat resinous
pines and balsams, dry as chips from the long summer droughts and
tropical heats, which extended along from th