me now, would bring them face to face with new
difficulties, and make them grapple with problems of a serious
character.

Thad asked no more questions, for he saw that Jim did not want to have
his mind distracted from his duty. He would do the right thing, of that
the boy felt assured.

One thing was plain enough, and this seemed apt to have more or less
bearing on the final outcome of their race to the cabin.

The wind was gradually increasing in force all the while. It had been
gentle at first, but was now blowing at the rate of ten miles an hour,
and Thad could notice how rapidly even this was changing.

Should it reach hurricane force ere long, the fire must be driven ahead
at a speed that would be simply frightful. Thad already began to
experience some of the thrill he had been told was connected with one of
these woods' fires; even though as yet he had to see the first flash of
flame. What must it be when surrounded on all sides by the leaping
tongues that, they said, looked like great red snakes coiling up the
pine trees, licking the resinous foliage with greedy breath, so that it
seemed as though the whole world must be ablaze?

Well, the boy had wanted to look upon just such a sight, so that he
could say he had been caught in a forest fire; and from the way things
were turning out, his wish was in a fair way to be gratified.

They must surely have come about a mile since he last asked Jim how far
away the cabin might be; that would indicate half of the distance had
been passed over. He wondered why Jim did not start running, so as to
beat the fire, that was apparently aiming for the same place; but on
second thought Thad believed he could guess the reason for this. Jim was
saving their wind for an emergency. If that came upon them, they might
have to change their own course, and head for the pond Jim had spoken of
as offering a fair haven of refuge in a case of this kind.

The roaring sound had grown more audible. It sounded now very much like
a freight train on the railroad, Thad thought; and drawing closer all
the while! This would seem to indicate that the fire was catching up
with them, and shortening the gap between at the same time.

Thad began to cast curious glances in the direction of the ominous
sound; nor could it be said that anxiety was not unmixed with his other
feelings. He was but a boy, after all; and even by now the dark masses
of smoke that were sweeping over the pine tops, as well as