Instantly the others turned in their saddles, and as they did so the flames bounded into the air.
"They fooled us good and plenty!" growled Nails, while all the boys glared at the foreman of the Three Stars Ranch.
"They did," asserted Mr. Wilder grimly, "but it's no use talking about it now. We've got all we can do to get away from the fire."
In terror the boy chums watched the flames spread as if by magic till in a few minutes a towering wall of fire was racing toward them.
"Shall we start a back fire?" asked Bill.
"No use," returned several of the cowboys, "the wind's in the wrong direction."
"Then we've got to ride for it," asserted Snider.
Well did the cowboys realize the danger, and with might and main they urged their ponies, each one bent only on saving himself.
For a time the two brothers and Horace kept pace with them, but they were not skilled in the fine art of getting the most out of their ponies when the animals began to tire, and it was not long before they found themselves dropping behind.
"Wait for us!" shouted Horace as he noticed the distance that separated them constantly increasing.