othing to indicate where or how the
fire had started.

"The fact that we can't find where it started," said the forester at last,
"is what makes me suspicious. A fire can generally be traced. I guess
we'll have to give up. I'll get back to headquarters, and you go home and
make your arrangements as quickly as possible. Then report to me."

"We'll go right back with you," said Charley. "That is, we will if Lew is
willing. It would hardly be right to ask him to give up his fishing trip.
And, anyway, two of us could guard the forest better than one."

"That's true, but until you are regularly sworn in you will not have the
legal authority you should have as a fire patrol."

"Then if Lew is willing, we'll go right out with you. We can take the
train at Oakdale."

They returned to Lew and explained the situation. "Of course we'll go
home," protested Lew. "This is your chance, Charley. You don't think I'd
stand in your way, do you?"

"Thanks, Lew," said Charley, holding out his hand to his chum. "But I hate
to cut your trip short."

"That's easily fixed," said the forester. "Go home and make your
arrangements and bring Lew back with you for the rest of the vacation if
he wants to come. You can do your patrol work and still catch some fish.
And I'd feel a lot easier to know two of you were here. You've proved that
you are good fire fighters."

Charley called up Willie and told him they were about to leave the forest
and would be in Oakdale in about four hours. Then the wireless was quickly
dismantled and packed, and the little party started across the burned area
once more, on their way out to the distant road.

They did not forget to examine the ground as they went. They had gone
perhaps a hundred feet when Charley noticed a heap of burned leaves. They
were in the cut-over area, and the floor of the forest had apparently
been carpeted thinly and evenly with leaves. So the little mound caught
his eye. At first he thought nothing of it. But when his glance swept the
surrounding ground and he saw how very thin the ashy coating was, and what
a dense pile of ashes was in this little heap, he wondered why the leaves
should have collected in this way. Without as yet really suspecting
anything, he walked over to the heap and began to rake the ashes from one
side of it with a little stick. Many of the burned leaves still retained
perfectly their shape and outline. The serrated edges and the feathery
veining were distinct in