A RACE THROUGH THE FLAMES
The fall had been an exceptionally dry one in that section of the middle west, and in consequence several forest fires had occurred, several not far from Bixton. Thus, when a few mornings following Jack’s arrival he and Alex proposed a visit to the old house in the woods where Alex had had his thrilling experience with the foreign trackmen, Mrs. Ward objected.
“You know there was a fire but five miles west yesterday, Alex,” she said.
“But that was only in the grass along the track, Mother, and the section-men soon had it out. They are watching everywhere. And on the first sign of smoke we will light for home like good fellows—won’t we, Jack?” he promised. Somewhat reluctantly Mrs. Ward finally consented, and gave the boys a lunch, and they set off to make a day of it.
Paying a visit first to the abandoned brick-yard, it was noon when Jack and Alex emerged from the woods at the rear of the deserted old cabin.
“So that’s it!” exclaimed Jack with keen interest as they went forward. “And up there is the very door you dropped from, I suppose?”
“Yes, that is it. Still half open, too—just as I left it. And over there is the barn and cow-stable. But let us have lunch first, and I’ll explain everything afterward,” Alex said, leading the way toward the house. “I am as hollow as a bass-drum.”
Ten minutes later, sitting on the cabin floor just within the doorway, eating and chatting, the two boys became suddenly silent, and sniffed at the air. With an exclamation both leaped to their feet, and to the door.
Rolling from the trees at the southern border of the clearing was a white bank of smoke. The woods were on fire!
“Which way?” cried Jack, as they sprang forth. “The railroad?”
Alex darted to the corner of the house and glanced about. “No! The wind has swung to the southwest! We’d never make it! North, for the brick-yard! Come on!
“If we are cornered there, we can swim the river,” he explained as they ran. “The fire isn’t likely to cross the water.”
They reached the trees, and immediately found themselves in a madly frightened procession. At their feet scurried rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks. A fox flashed by within a yard of them. Overhead, birds screamed and called in terror.
On they dashed, and a ghostly yellow light began to envelop them. “The smoke overhead,” said Alex. “It will soon be down here, too.”
“I smell it,” panted Jack a moment later. Soon they began to feel it in their eyes.
Jack began to lag. “How much farther, Alex?” he gasped.
“Only a short distance, now. Yes, here we are,” announced Alex, as brighter light appeared ahead of them. A moment after they broke into the clearing.
Without slackening pace Alex headed for the old semaphore. “From up there we can see just how we stand,” he explained. Almost exhausted, they reached it, and Alex ran up the ladder. Scrambling onto the little platform, he turned toward the river, two hundred yards distant. A cry broke from him.
“We are cut off! The fire has crossed the river!”
Jack hastily clambered up beside him, and above the tree-tops beyond the river he beheld a gray-white cloud.
The boys gazed at one another with paling faces. “What shall we do?” asked Jack.
Alex shook his head. “We might swim the river, and try a dash for it. It is two miles out of the woods, but there might be a chance.”
“We couldn’t do it. We’re too nearly exhausted.
“How about staying right in the river, by the bank?” Jack suggested. “I’ve heard of people doing that.”
“It is too deep here, and it’s awfully cold. We would chill and cramp in no time.
“No; I tell you,” went on Alex suddenly. “We’ll try one of the old tile ovens on the other side of the yard. Perhaps we can box ourselves up in one of them.”
There was no time to lose, for the clearing was now blue with smoke, and climbing hastily to the ground, the boys were again off on the run. They reached the group of round-topped ovens.
A glance showed that their hope was futile. All about the furnaces were thickets of dead weeds, and a short distance away, and directly to windward, was a huge pile of light brushwood.
Promptly Alex turned back. “We would be smothered or roasted in five minutes,” he declared. “No. It is the water, or nothing. Perhaps we can work it by floating on a log.”
As they approached the river, the boys crossed the old yard siding. Stumbling over the rails, partially blinded with the now stinging smoke, both suddenly ran into something, and fell in a heap. Scrambling to their feet, they found an old push-car, with low sides.
Alex uttered a cry. “Jack, why can’t we make a dash down the spur with this old car—pushing it? And say, couldn’t we lift it onto the main-line rails, and run all the way home?”
Jack hesitated. “Look there,” he said, pointing to the wall of smoke into which the track disappeared a hundred yards away. “And wouldn’t there be burned-down trees across the rails?”
“No; not yet. The fire hasn’t been burning long enough. And as to the smoke, it’ll soon be just as bad on the river,” Alex declared.
“All right. Let us try it. But first, let us jump in the river and get good and wet,” suggested Jack.
“Good idea! Come on!
“Or; wait!” exclaimed Alex. “Another idea. There is an old rubbish pile just over here, and a lot of tin cans. Let us get some, and fill them with water—to keep our handkerchiefs wet, to breathe through.”
They turned aside, quickly found and secured several empty cans each, and ran on. Reaching the water, they dropped the cans on the bank, and plunged in bodily.
As Alex had said, the water was intensely cold, and despite the relief to their eyes from the smoke, they clambered out again immediately, hastily filled the tins, and only pausing to tie their dripping handkerchiefs over their mouths, dashed back for the siding.
“You help me start her, Jack,” directed Alex as they placed the cans of water in the forward end of the car, “and when we reach the edge of the woods, jump in. I’ll run it the first spell, then you can relieve me. That way we can keep it going at a good clip.
“All ready? Let her go!” With bowed heads they threw themselves against the little car, the rusty wheels began to screech; rapidly they gained headway, and soon were on the run.
They neared the smoke-hidden border of the clearing.
WITH A RUSH THEY DASHED INTO THE WALL OF SMOKE.
“Jump in, Jack!” cried Alex. Jack sprang over the tail-board and threw himself flat on his face, and with a rush they dashed into the wall of smoke.
Rumbling and screeching, the car sped onward. Alex began to feel the heat. Suddenly it swept over them like the breath of a furnace, and there came a mighty roar.
They were in the midst of the flames.
“Are you all right, Alex?” cried Jack.
“Yes.” A moment later, however, Alex too sprang into the car, as he did so tearing off his handkerchief and stuffing it into one of the water-cans. “I couldn’t have held on another minute,” he choked. “I believe the handkerchief was burning.”
Jack prepared to climb out to take Alex’s place.
“No! Lay still!” interposed Alex. “The car will run by itself here. There’s a down grade.”
Jack dropped back thankfully. “Isn’t it awful,” he gasped. “My eyes are paining as though they would burst.”
On rushed the car down the roaring, crackling tunnel of flames, groaning and screeching like a mad thing. Tongues of fire began to lick over the sides of the car at the cringing boys within.
Faster the car went. Presently it began to rock. “She’ll be off the track!” cried Jack at last.
“Lie farther over!” directed Alex above the roar, himself moving in the opposite direction. The rearrangement steadied the car slightly, but still it rocked and plunged on the long unused track so that at times the boys’ hearts leaped into their throats.
The heat was now terrific. The floor and sides of the car began to blister and crack.
“We can’t stand it much longer! We’ll be cooked!” coughed Jack.
“Empty one of the cans over your head,” Alex shouted. “Keep up a few minutes longer, and we will be over the worst. It is the leaves and brush that are making the heat, and we’ll soon be where they have burned out.
“I think we are over the worst of it now,” he announced a moment later. “There’s not so much crackling; and I don’t think it is so hot.”
Simultaneously the car began to leap less wildly, then perceptibly to slow up. Alex at once prepared to climb out again. “I’ll give her another run,” he said. But promptly Jack pressed him back. “No you don’t! I’m going to take my turn.” And in another moment he was out in the full glare of the still shrivelling heat, rushing the car on at the top of his speed. A hundred yards he drove it, and scrambled back within, gasping for breath. Emptying one of the remaining cans over Jack’s head, Alex sprang out and took his place.
A moment after, they struck a slight up grade. Alex uttered a joyful shout. “Only a short run farther, Jack, and we’re out of the woods!”
But immediately he followed this glad announcement with one of new alarm.
“The washout! I’d forgotten it! It’s just ahead! The rails there almost hang in the air!”
In a panic Alex slowed up. Jack climbed out beside him. “Let us rush it,” he suggested. “The rails may hold—like a bridge. We’re not heavy. And we may as well take one more chance.”
Alex debated. “All right! Come on! And jump quick when I say! I think I can tell when we are near it.”
Once more the car was flying onward through the haze.
“Here we come! Now!”
With a bound Jack was back in the car. Alex made a final rush, and sprang after. The car dipped forward and sideways, a breathless instant seemed to hang in mid-air, then righted, and shot forward smoothly. Uttering a hoarse shout of joy, the boys leaped out, and were again running the car ahead, and a moment later gave vent to a second and louder cry.
In their faces blew the cooler air of a clearing.
A few yards farther they halted.
“I can’t see a thing. Can’t open them,” declared Jack, as they stood rubbing their eyes, and recovering their breath.
“Neither can I. Give me your hand, and we’ll soon fix it. There is a path here down to the water.” Feeling with his foot, Alex found it, and pulling Jack after, hastened down, and in another moment both were on their stomachs on the river-bank, their faces deep in the cooling water.
Ten minutes later, greatly revived, but with faces and hands intensely smarting from their burns, the boys replenished the cans of water—for they still had a two miles’ run through the smother of smoke—and lifted the car onto the main-line rails.
As they did so, from far to the west came a whistle.
“A train! Can’t we stop her?” suggested Jack.
“They’d never see us in the smoke.”
“Then, say, let us throw the old car across the tracks, so they’ll strike it. They would probably stop to see what it was.”
“It might derail her. No. I’ve got it. Come on, and get the car started so she’ll cross the bridge, and I’ll explain.”
“Now,” said Jack, as they rolled out on the trestle.
“You remember the steep grade just over the bridge? Well, we’ll stop about fifty yards this side, wait till the train whistles the last crossing, then hit it up for all we are worth, and—”
“And let the train catch us?” cried Jack. “But, gracious! won’t that be taking an awful chance?”
“No, for she won’t be going very fast, on account of the curve at the bottom, and we’ll be going like a house afire,” declared Alex, confidently. “And when she bunts us, we’ll jump for her cow-catcher, and five minutes later we’ll be out in the glorious fresh air again.”
CLOSER CAME THE ROARING MONSTER.
“Well, all right. If you are willing to take the risk, I am,” said Jack.
They reached the spot designated by Alex, and brought the car to a stand.
Again came the whistle of the train. “Ready!” cried Alex. “The next time!”
It came. Like sprinters they threw themselves at the car, and in a few strides were racing down the rails at full speed; reached the head of the grade, and sprang over the tail-board just as the train rumbled onto the bridge.
Downward they shot, gaining momentum at every turn of the wheels.
“Whe-ew! But we’re taking an awful chance,” said Jack, nervously.
“No. Listen to her brakes,” said Alex.
Despite his assurance, when, a moment later, the great engine suddenly appeared out of the smoke and came thundering down upon them, Alex faltered, and, with Jack, nervously clutched the sides of the little car. But dashing on unrestrained, they yet further increased their mad speed, and for a few seconds seemed even to be holding their own with the mighty mogul.
Then the great engine began eating up the distance between them, and the boys gathered themselves together for the supreme moment.
Closer came the roaring monster. “Now, don’t jump,” cautioned Alex, who had regained his nerve. “Wait until she is just going to hit us, then fall forward and grab the brace—that rod there.
“Here she comes! Ready! Now!”
With a jolt the engine hit the car, and in an instant the boys fell forward, grasped a smoke-box brace, and in another moment had scrambled to the top of the cow-catcher.
And they were safe!
When, ten minutes later, the train came to a standstill at Bixton, the engineer suddenly felt his hair rise on end as two wildly unkempt and blackened figures appeared slowly dismounting from the front of his engine, and stumbled across the station platform. But the shout of joy which greeted them told they were no ghosts.
“Although I think we weren’t far from it, were we, Jack?” said Alex, at home a few minutes after, when his mother made a similar comparison.
“I hope I’ll not be as near it again for a long time to come,” said Jack, earnestly.