What a contrast then to this sylvan 
peacefulness was the forest fire when 
ve finally came to view it! 
The farther end of Mac D's old tote 
[*oad constituted the main fire line, and 
as we carried in from the wagon road 
jpasket loads of provisions for the hungry 
ire fighters—there drifted to us frag- 
nents of information and now and then 
he vision of weary smoke-begrimed men 
passing back and forth from that point 
vhere the flames were still beyond con- 
rol. 
Beside a long bridge under which 
( lowed a clear cold spring brook, Everett, 
who acted as chief director of the com- 
nissary department, threw together 
with admirable expediency a large fire¬ 
place, and within the next half hour 
( was doling out generous cups of coffee, 
with ham and bread and butter to dozens 
pf ravenous men and boys. And so, 
ifter assisting as best I could I left him 
pard at work and continued up the fire 
ine in company with Rube. 
1 Everywhere the smell of deadened 
[ ires hung heavily on the air. At the 
:ote road the advance of the flames had 
peen checked and while on one side lay 
icrcs of smouldering ruined woods, on 
he other we could look into the green 
{vistas of the forest that had luckily 
Escaped. We saw nothing therefore 
save an aftermath of the real fire until 
we came finally to Albany pond, which 
ies tucked under the southerly slope of 
he mountain. Then Rube drew my at- 
ention to a great billowy cloud of 
moke soaring heavenward from a 
pruce point near the lower end of the 
pond. 
There’s some fire in there,” said he, 
‘or I’m greatly mistaken. That’s where 
we’ll go.” 
From a tangle of brakes and blue- 
perry bushes he pulled out a leaky old 
guide boat and in this we paddled down 
he shore and landed a short distance to 
E windward of the flames. We had ex¬ 
pected to find a gang of fire-fighters 
! working in this corner, but on closer in¬ 
vestigation found not a living soul in 
he vicinity. It came about afterwards 
hat the fire had been so fierce at other 
: nore strategic points that it was neces- 
;ary to concentrate the men at these 
places, and therefore this particular 
1 porner had been overlooked. 
The roar and crackling of the flames 
low greeted our ears, and climbing over 
i low knoll I had my first view of the 
ire at close range. 
What at first impressed me most 
; strongly was the tumult of the flames, 
md the demon-like swiftness with which 
| hey attacked and ate up every twig and 
jbranch and tree within reach. When 
j we first started in to make a fire line 
if what had once been a log road, and 
| where the ground happened to be low 
ind therefore moist, it was almost im¬ 
possible for us to face the wall of heat 
which shocked one even as the burst of 
i white hot furnace. We would run in 
for a few seconds and beat out fran¬ 
tically with a bunch of spruce boughs 
he licking flames as they sought to 
kreep across the road, then back we 
would race to get our breath and 
- 6 * - 
^nEi^ 
N O illustration can truly show 
you why Smith & Wesson 
revolvers are actually “Superior.” 
Any dealer will let you examine 
one, inside and out. Only then will 
the dependability and accuracy of the 
arm he apparent. You will realize 
also, by comparison, why its slightly 
higher price is justified. 
Smith & Wesson 
^Manufacturers oj Superior ‘Revolvers 
SPRINGFI ELD 
MASSACHUSETTS 
Catalogue sent on request 
Address Department I 
No arms are genuine Smith & Wesson Arms 
unlessthey bear, plainly marked on the harrel, 
the name 
SMITH & WESSON. SPRINGFIELD. MASS. 
In writing to Advertisers mention Forest and Stream. It will identify you. Pug'e #03 
