f the flames. Once a spark
dropped upon his shoulder and fired his shirt. With a cry he beat it out
and strove harder. The pain in his foot was unbearable. It made the
perspiration stand out upon his forehead. It made him whirl with
giddiness. But on he plunged, fighting the fire, the smoke and the pain
and striving his hardest to gain the lake.

Once he thought of Jack and Bart and grew very bitter, for somehow the
fire seemed the result of their carelessness. Would they be trapped by
it? They had two good strong legs. They would save themselves, he
hoped. So must he! Gritting his teeth and stifling a groan, he tried to
gallop, using the cane and injured foot in unison. It was painful, but
he must make time--he must go fast, faster.

The fire was close behind. It was gaining. He could hear its triumphant
roar. It would catch him soon. Only a few minutes and a fiery arm would
reach out like a python and wrap about him. The thought made him shudder.

"No! No! It must not reach me!" he cried in horror and leapt forward.
But his cane slipped and jammed between his legs. He tripped and lost
his balance. In a mad effort to save himself from falling he put his
injured foot forward. His entire weight came down upon it and the ankle
snapped. The pain was more than he could stand. With a cry of agony he
sank into a limp heap.

Bruce's startling revelation that there was a life to be saved spurred
the scouts to action. One more glance in the direction of the smoke pall
to the westward and in a twinkle every lad had his blanket in hand and
was sousing it into the lake. Handkerchiefs were doused too, for the
youngsters knew well that the smoke would soon be so thick that they would
need this kind of protection.

And while the rest were thus occupied, Bruce held a hasty conference with
Jiminy, and the two boys quickly cut scout staffs. With these in hand
they waved the troop forward and started off at a mad pace up the wood
road to meet the advancing forest fire.

On they raced, the smoke growing heavier and more pungent as they neared
the flames. They could hear the deep toned muttering of the
conflagration. And all the way along the road they were breasting a tide
of forest dwellers, deer, rabbit, bears, and a host of smaller animals,
all scurrying away from the roaring doom behind them.

Soon the lads were in the zone of flying sparks. Here and there along
the road small fires were being start