of the fish trap which they thought they could make
in a day's work. This would relieve them of much toil, but they deferred
its beginning until the morrow, and used the rest of the day in making
two more snares for rabbits.

Paul now suggested that they accumulate as much food as possible, cook
it and putting it on their backs follow the creek to its mouth. He had
no doubt that it emptied into the river that flowed by Wareville and
then by following the stream, if his surmise was right, they could reach
home again. It was a plausible theory and Henry agreed with him.
Meanwhile they built their fire high again and lay down for another
night's rest in the woods. The next day they devoted to the fish trap
which was successfully completed, and put in the river, and then they
took their places on the turf for the third night beside the camp fire.

The day, like its predecessor, had been close and hot. All traces of the
great rain were gone. Forest and earth were again as dry as tinder. They
refreshed themselves with a swim in the creek just before lying down to
sleep, but they were soon panting with the heat. It seemed to hang in
heavy clouds, and the forest shut out any fresh air that might be moving
high up.

Despite the great heat the boys had built the fire as high as usual,
because they knew that the search for them would never cease so long as
there was a hope of success, and they thought that the signal should not
be lacking. But now they moved away from it and into the shadow of the
woods.

"If only the wind would blow!" said Henry.

"And I'd be willing to stand a rain like the one in which we got lost,"
said Paul.

But neither rain nor wind came, and after a while they fell asleep.
Henry was awakened at an unknown hour of the night by a roaring in his
ears, and at first he believed that Paul was about to have his storm.
Then he was dazzled by a great rush of light in his eyes, and he sprang
to his feet in sudden alarm.

"Up, Paul!" he cried, grasping his comrade by the shoulder. "The woods
are on fire!"

Paul was on his feet in an instant, and the two were just in time.
Sparks flew in their faces and the flames twisting into pyramids and
columns leaped from tree to tree with a sound like thunder as they came.
Boughs, burnt through, fell to the ground with a crash. The sparks rose
in millions.

The boys had slept in their clothes or rather what was left of them,
and, grasping each other's hands, they ra