CHAPTER XXXI
THE FOREST FIRE—-CONCLUSION
The cry was such an unexpected one that for the moment every one who heard it was dumfounded. The men stared at each other and so did the boys. Then all looked up and saw a thick mass of smoke rolling over the forest. The wind was blowing briskly, and soon the smoke began to envelop the entire crowd.
"Say, fellows, we must get out of here!" exclaimed Shep. "We can't stay, or we'll be burnt up!"
"That's the truth," put in Giant. "Let us get back to our boat."
"To the camp!" came from Andrew Felps, and ran off, followed by the other men.
"Shall we go after them?" asked Snap.
"What good will it do?" said Shep. "They can get out on the lake in their boat—-if the fire gets too strong for them."
"The wind is blowing it directly to the lake," said Whopper. "My, but it has gained headway!" he added, looking around.
The smoke was growing thicker, and already they could see the sparks floating overhead. From a distance they heard a wild cry, but could not make out what it was.
Turning around, they started for the spot where they had left their boat.
In their mad rush to gain the craft, they did not notice that they got off the trail until they were halted by a mass of brushwood on all sides of them.
"This can't be right!" panted Giant. "I didn't notice this before."
"We have made some mistake!" ejaculated Shep. "Maybe we are going away from the lake!"
They gazed around. The smoke was growing thicker, and now a few burning brands fell close by.
"One thing is certain, we can't stay here!" came from Snap. "Let us go straight downhill. That will bring us to water sooner or later."
This was considered good advice and all acted on it without delay.
The smoke was now so thick they could scarcely see in any direction.
The light of the sun was obscure, making it as dark as if it was
night.
"Here is a little stream!" called out Giant, presently. "This must run into the lake!"
All stepped into the brook and followed it for several hundred feet.
Then Snap called a halt.
"Here is our lost trail!"
"Snap is right," said Shep. "Come on, the boat cannot be far off."
Once more they went on, the smoke growing so thick they had to crouch down to get their breath. The tears were streaming from their eyes, and Whopper let out a yell as a burning brand floated down on his neck, raising a blister.
"Here is the boat, thank fortune!" said Snap, a minute later.
How they tumbled into the craft they scarcely knew. The painter was cut and they shoved off into the lake, just as a fierce gust of wind sent a cloud of smoke and a shower of sparks down upon them.
"Phew! but that was a narrow escape!" muttered Shep, when the shore had been left behind and they could catch their breath.
"We are not out of danger yet!" said Snap. "This fire may be worse than we think. If it takes in the whole lake district, we'll be hemmed in on all sides."
"Look!" exclaimed Giant. "Am I mistaken, or is a storm coming up?" and he pointed to the sky.
"Those are certainly clouds, not smoke," said Whopper. "Oh, I hope it does rain and puts out the fire. I shouldn't like to see this fine forest destroyed."
"Nor I," added Snap.
"If it is burned down it will be Mr. Felps's loss," came from Giant.
"He said he had bought the district up, you'll remember."
As they pulled along, well away from the shore, they suddenly heard a mad cry for aid.
"What's that?" asked Snap.
"A man on shore!" ejaculated Whopper. "See him—-over on yonder rocks!"
"It is that Barrock!" said Shep.
"Help me!" came from the man, who was waving his arms wildly. "Take me off, or I'll be burnt up!"
"Let us row to him," said Snap.
The rowboat was turned in toward shore without delay. In the meantime, to escape the smoke and burning brands, Lusher Barrock rushed into the lake up to his knees.
"Save me!" he bawled again. "I can't swim!"
"We'll save you!" answered Snap. "But see here, Barrock," he added, suddenly.
"What?"
"You will have to give us those documents you took from the sawmill."
"I—-I—-ain't got them."
"Well, then, we'll leave you where you are," said Snap, just to test the rascal.
"No! no! I—-I'll give you the papers!"
"Very well, then."
The craft came alongside of the robber and he was helped on board. He was badly scared and trembling from head to foot. A burning brand had come down on his left ear, singeing that member and also his fiery red hair.
"Now give me those papers," demanded Snap, and without waiting thrust his hand into the man's pocket and drew them forth. "Have you the money, too?"
"I—-I——-"
"Hand it over or we'll search you."
"I've got three hundred dollars," said Lush Barrock, lamely. "I spent about fifty dollars."
The money was handed over to Snap, and he placed it and the papers in an inner pocket of his jacket. Then the robber was ordered to sit at the bow of the boat and not move, and a pistol he carried was taken from him.
It was not long after this that it began to rain. At first the downfall was not great, but presently there was a perfect deluge and then the boy hunters knew that the danger from the forest fire was over. Looking up the lake they saw Andrew Felps and his party in their launch, unharmed. The camp of the lumber dealer, however, had been burned out clean and clear, along with all of the provisions.
"That's what he gets for taking our cabin from us," was Giant's comment.
Not wishing to meet the lumber dealer again, now that they had made Lush Barrock a prisoner, Snap directed his chums to row out of the lake and on to the river. The boys pulled a good stroke and, despite the load on board the craft, made fair progress.
"This fire will worry the folks at home," said Shep. "I am glad we made up our minds to break camp."
"Yes," answered Whopper. "Everything happened for the best, after all."
The boat was still some miles from Fairview when they saw another craft approaching. It contained Mr. Dodge and Jed Sanborn.
"Safe, are you?" sang out Mr. Dodge, as he drew near. "We were afraid that forest fire would do you some harm."
"We had a pretty close shave of it, father," answered Snap.
"We've got a prisoner for you, Mr. Dodge," sang out Shep, somewhat proudly. "Here is the rascal who set fire to the sawmill."
"Is it possible!" cried Mr. Dodge.
"That fire was an—-an accident," grumbled Lusher Barrock. "All a mistake."
"I've got the documents he took, and three hundred dollars of the money," said Snap.
"Well! well! This is famous, boys!" said Mr. Dodge.
"My sakes alive, look at the bears!" called out Jed Sanborn, as Giant pulled aside the canvas that lay over the game. "Who shot 'em?"
"We shot one and caught the other in the trap," answered Giant.
"Don't you think we did pretty well for boys?"
"Well for boys? Why, men couldn't do any better. You're the best boy hunters anywhere!"
The prisoner was transferred to the boat containing Mr. Dodge and Jed Sanborn, and Snap gave to his parent the money and the documents that had been recovered. Then both boats headed for Fairview, which was reached at nightfall.
Great was the surprise of the town folks when it was learned that the man who had set fire to the sawmill had been captured. He was put in jail, and later on tried and sent to prison for a term of years.
There was another surprise when it was noised about that the boy hunters had laid low not only several deer and a good deal of small game, but also two fair-sized bears. The bears were placed on public exhibition at one of the stores and many came to look at them.
Ham Spink and his cronies were intensely jealous, but did not dare to give vent to their feelings. Snap and his chums took no notice of the dudish youth and his followers.
"We have the best of it, and they know it," said Snap.
"Boys, we must go out again, this winter," said Shep. "Come, what do you say?"
All agreed instantly, and how they went out, and what good times they had will be told in another volume of this series, to be called, "Guns and Snowshoes; or, The Winter Outing of the Boy Hunters." The best hunting is often to be had when there is snow on the ground, and my readers can rest assured that the four boy hunters made the most of their opportunities.
A while after the boys got home, it was learned that Andrew Felps had escaped with his party, unharmed, but all had lost practically everything they had taken along but the launch. The forest had been much damaged, especially that tract which the Felps Lumber Company had purchased for cutting purposes, so the lumber merchant was out in more ways than one. Nothing was said to him about the talk he had had with Lusher Barrock, and he himself was afraid to open his mouth about it, and soon the incident was practically forgotten. The Barnaby Company went to work at the Spur Road tract and nobody attempted to stop them.
"Boys, we had a dandy time, didn't we?" said Snap, one evening after he had had his fill of venison steak.
"We had the best time ever!" said Shep. "May we have many more like it!"
"Just wait till this winter!" cried Whopper.
"I am going to kill sixteen deer, twenty bears, two hundred wild turkeys, and about a thousand rab——-"
"Draw it mild, Whopper!" ejaculated Giant. "Wait till the time comes, and then do your best."
And Whopper did wait, and so did the rest, and here let us leave them and say good-by.