FIRE 91 
As the main fire reached us our attention was re- 
quired not only at isolated spots but all along the 
front. More and more we found ourselves fighting 
a continuous line of flames, combating a hydra- 
headed enemy. No sooner was the fire crushed in 
one place than it broke out in a dozen others and we 
rushed off to attack them one after another. 
The battle was general. Hour succeeded wearing 
hour. We hardly heeded the passage of time. 
Rushing hither and thither through the clouds of 
smoke, howling warnings and suggestions to one an- 
other, running to the assistance of a hard pressed 
comrade or calling for aid ourselves, we fought 
through the hours of the night, looking in the un- 
canny ruby glow for all the world like a crowd of 
imps toiling to feed the furnaces of hell. 
It is hard now to remember, to pick out special 
scenes or incidents of that kaleidoscopic night. The 
picture that recollection holds fast to is blurred and 
smoke dimmed, just a confused, endless, ever shift- 
ing succession of bright flames springing at us out 
of the dark, a weary hand to hand battle with the 
tireless enemy, a growing fatigue that ached and 
throbbed like a prisoned spirit of evil and a joyful 
underlying consciousness, leavening and lightening 
all, that we were holding our own, that no hungry 
shred of fire had passed our defences and penetrated 
to the rich timbered region behind us. 
We were on our feet in almost constant action till 
morning. Bert and the packers, between trips for 
