“We’ve got the best of the fire!” he exclaimed as he brushed the perspiration from his face. “Two more pails and it will be drowned out completely.”
While he was gone I made a minute examination, to see that no sparks were lodged where they could do harm. All such I knocked out with my wet coat. When Ford returned, he also went over the ground; and both of us declared the fire was out.
“And I never thought we could do it,” he panted. “Rube, you deserve credit!”
“Not a bit more than you, Dan. But it was tough work. Let us get out into the fresh air.”
The shot from the gun had brought no one to the spot. We went down-stairs, and seated ourselves on the stump of a tree on the opposite side of the road, where we could see at once if there was any breaking out of the fire again; and here we took a long rest, and got some pure air into our lungs.
“There is no doubt in my mind but that Norton intended to burn you up,” remarked Ford as he took a deep breath.
“I think so myself,” I replied with a shudder; “but oh, what a horrible thought that is!”
“He is a thoroughly bad egg,” went on my helper. “Even if he ever gets out of this scrape, which I don’t believe, I wouldn’t have anything to do with him.”
“I don’t intend to,” I replied. “I shall never claim him as my uncle, you may be sure of that.”