ew to a thick white cloud which rolled
over the edge of the ridge and sank toward the valley. Sparks and flakes
of soot shot up from the clouds, and here and there one could see a red
flame in the smoke. A big fire was raging over there, but what was
burning? Surely there was no large farm hidden in the forest.

The source of such a fire must be more than a farm. Now the smoke came
not only from the ridge, but from the valley below it, which the boy
could not see, because the next ridge obstructed his view. Great clouds
of smoke ascended; the forest itself was burning!

It was difficult for him to grasp the idea that the fresh, green pines
could burn. If it really were the forest that was burning, perhaps the
fire might spread all the way over to him. It seemed improbable; but he
wished the eagle would soon return. It would be best to be away from
this. The mere smell of the smoke which he drew in with every breath was
a torture.

All at once he heard a terrible crackling and sputtering. It came from
the ridge nearest him. There, on the highest point, stood a tall pine
like the one in which he sat. A moment before it had been a gorgeous red
in the morning light. Now all the needles flashed, and the pine caught
fire. Never before had it looked so beautiful! But this was the last
time it could exhibit any beauty, for the pine was the first tree on the
ridge to burn. It was impossible to tell how the flames had reached it.
Had the fire flown on red wings, or crawled along the ground like a
snake? It was not easy to say, but there it was at all events. The great
pine burned like a birch stem.

Ah, look! Now smoke curled up in many places on the ridge. The forest
fire was both bird and snake. It could fly in the air over wide
stretches, or steal along the ground. The whole ridge was ablaze!

There was a hasty flight of birds that circled up through the smoke like
big flakes of soot. They flew across the valley and came to the ridge
where the boy sat. A horned owl perched beside him, and on a branch just
above him a hen hawk alighted. These would have been dangerous
neighbours at any other time, but now they did not even glance in his
direction--only stared at the fire. Probably they could not make out
what was wrong with the forest. A marten ran up the pine to the tip of a
branch, and looked at the burning heights. Close beside the marten sat a
squirrel, but they did not appear to notice each other.

Now the fire came