ir work," Allan
volunteered. "You see, they leave a tremendous amount of stuff behind;
all the limbs and branches of the trees they have cut down, as they are
only after the main stem; so when this gets nice and dry, after a year
or so, and a fire starts, with a brisk wind to whip it, what follows is
more than I can describe. I saw one such fire, and we only escaped with
our lives by the quick wit of a logger along with the party."

"What did you do, Allan?" asked Bumpus, eagerly. "You know, I'm goin'
out with Giraffe to-morrow, and if we did meet up with a forest on fire,
I couldn't run like he can, with his long legs; so I'd like to know
another way to give the old fire the go-by. Please explain how you
cheated it. Why, Allan, it might save my life too, for all you know."

"Glad to hear that you're interested, Bumpus," answered the other
readily. "And I think every one of you ought to know about it. When
you're out hunting, try and keep the location of any stream you happen
to pass, in your mind. Then in case of being beset by fire, make your
way there, and get in, up to your neck. You're going to be safe there,
every time. If it gets hot, duck under, and cool off. I'll sure never
forget the time I had; but then I hope none of you will ever have to
hunt for a stream, or that you'll even see a forest fire when up here,
no matter how much Giraffe wants to look on one."

Giraffe had dropped out of the circle, and apparently some idea had just
flashed into his mind connected with his pursuit of that slippery
contract, whereby he expected sooner or later to make fire come, after
the fashion of the far away islanders of the Pacific.

No one paid much attention, for they were heartily sick of seeing him
sawing away with his little bow, wasting so much time, most of them
thought; though Thad for his part was secretly pleased to see that the
tall scout stuck at his apparently hopeless job; with a persistence that
must win out in the end.

Thad had been explaining just what the new system of standing sentry was
to be. Each of the scouts would have his turn, even Bumpus being called
on, though his partner was to be old Eli. There being eight of them,
their fixed posts would not run much over an hour and a half each; and
it was to be expected that the boys might receive more or less benefit
from having to assume some of the responsibility of the camp's security.

Bumpus had been yawning for some time; and presently, taking a