"I would be in a pretty fix if barefoot," said he, "I wouldn't have been
able to walk home through these woods for a week or less."

It was plain to be seen that the fury of the conflagration had spent
itself, so far as it affected this portion of the wood. That tornado of
the flame, which swept everything before it, had leaped across the pond,
and was speeding onward until it should die out from want of fuel.

In its path was the blackness of desolation. The trees were still
burning, but it was in a smoldering, smoking way, with blazing branches
here and there, dropping piecemeal to the ground. The flames, which
charged forward as they do through the dry prairie grass, had passed by,
and the brother and sister had now the opportunity to attempt to reach
home.

But it would be hard to overestimate the distress caused by the
atmosphere which the forest fires left behind them. There are many gases
and vapors which we cannot breathe; but the trouble about smoke is that
although we can manage to get along with it when it is not too dense, it
is excessively irritating to the lungs.

Several minutes passed, during which little trouble was experienced,
and then the two were forced to cough and gasp until they almost sank to
the ground from exhaustion. Occasionally the vapor would lift, and,
floating away, leave the air below comparatively pure, and then the
black and blue atmosphere, heavy with impurities, would descend and wrap
them about as with a garment.

"There's one thing sure," said Nick, when he found himself able to speak
with some degree of comfort.

"What is that?" asked his sister.

"This will gradually get better and better."

"I don't see how it can get any worse," was the truthful answer of
Nellie, who felt as though she had stood all she could bear.

Since the danger of being caught in the flames was gone, the two were at
liberty to venture in any direction they chose.

"We'll make the start, any way!" said Nick, with his old resolution of
manner; "keep close to me, and, if you see any new bears, don't run into
the woods to hide without saying something to me."

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

BEAR AND FORBEAR.

"See here," said Nick Ribsam, stopping suddenly, after taking only a few
steps, "I don't like this idea of going home and leaving so many of my
clothes behind. That's a good coat and vest, and the hat is my Sunday
one."

"You ain't going back to get them, Nick, when the bear is waiting fo