edge as possible, and then get
some saplings for cross pieces. Lash the poles well together with the
tent and pack-ropes, and put a little spruce on the top to help us keep
dry. We haven't time to build a Noah's Ark, and it will be no end of a
job for you to get the thing afloat by yourself."

The girl looked round and pointed to a little creek where the water was
very still.

"I could build it afloat there. There's a gravelly bottom and it's not
deep."

"Yes!" he said quickly. "That would be better!"

For an hour he sat there watching her work, and marking the swift
progress of the fire. The heat grew tremendous, the roar of the flames
and of crackling trees filled the air to the exclusion of all other
sounds, and the pungent smoke made it difficult to breathe. He had
begun to think that after all her endeavours had been in vain, when she
approached him, sweat running down her flushed face, and drenched well
above the knees.

"You will have to set your teeth," she said, "I shall have to carry you
out to the raft."

It was no easy task to get him on to it, but she had pushed the raft
well in the reeds so that it could not give, and though it was a
painful operation for him, he was presently lying on a pile made of the
tent canvas and blankets. Ten minutes later when he opened his eyes,
they were afloat, and she was poling the raft into deeper water. She
looked at him as his eyes opened.

"This raft is not quite so good as a punt--but it might be worse!"

"They're always awkward things," he said. "You ought to have had a
sweep."

"No time," she answered, with a nod towards the shore.

"You will have to pole us out, as far as you can, and then we must
drift."

"It is the only way," she agreed. "Fortunately this lake seems very
shallow."

Ten minutes later the pole failed to touch bottom, and a current of
water setting across the lake began to drift them well from the shore.
As he saw that, Stane gave a sigh of relief.

"You can sit down and rest now, Miss Yardely. There is nothing further
to be done for the present. It is a case of time and tide now, but I
think we are perfectly safe."

Helen glanced towards the shore, and gave an involuntary shudder. The
fire was running through the forest like a wild beast. Clouds of smoke,
black or leaden-coloured rolled in front, the vanguard of the
destroyer, and out of them leaped spouts of fiery sparks, or long
tongues of yellow flame, and behind this, the fo