CHAPTER XIII 

 FIRE 



ALL went well until Saturday the end of the first 

 week in our Hillsboro camp when trouble broke 

 from a clear sky. We had finished a rather hard 

 day's work and were in the act of sitting down to 

 supper when the drumming of horse's hoofs came 

 to our ears. A moment later Reid, the fire guard, ap- 

 proached at a gallop and drew up just long enough 

 to shout: 



" Fire's broke out on the north slope of Hillsboro 

 Peak. It's got away from me. I've phoned for men 

 but they can't get here till morning, so you fellows '11 

 have to come up to-night. There's plenty of axes, 

 hoes and gunny sacks, but we'll need water. I'm 

 going back to do what I can till you get there. 

 Don't lose any time every minute now may save 

 hours of work later ! ' ' 



Then, whirling about, he galloped off up the trail. 



The hasty summons of the guard materially al- 

 tered our plans for the evening. Instead of a leis- 

 urely supper and a comfortable loaf about the fire, 

 with bed hovering pleasantly in the background, we 

 saw before us a long night of heart-breaking toil by 

 the red light of flames, a night such as haunts the 



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