"Keep it up! It's getting the best of you!" he shouted to each Overlander in turn as he passed.
"Can't we send to Forty-three for assistance?" called Hippy.
"No. You or I would have to go. Neither of us can be spared."
"We'll have to be spared if this keeps up much longer. Do you think the horses are safe?"
"Yes. They are on the river side of the fire. The breeze is carrying the fire the other way," answered Tom.
Three hours after the discovery of the fire found the Overland Riders still fighting, to all appearances, just as stubbornly as when they began. Their faces were almost unrecognizable, blackened as they were with smoke and streaked with perspiration. In places, their clothing showed black where it had been seared or scorched. Emma Dean had, for the time being, forgotten to listen to the voices of nature, even though they were sizzling and roaring at her from the far-flung tops of the giant pines.
At the end of the fourth hour, a great tree came crashing down with a ripping, rending roar. Another followed it soon after, and at intervals still other trees lost their foothold and surrendered to their implacable enemy, fire!
It was an awesome sight and the air was full of thrilling sounds. There was not one of that party of fire fighters that did not feel the awe. Henry disappeared, and his mistress had no thought for him. She had been through other forest fires, and, though she worked desperately, she did so without emotion so far as external appearances indicated. Hindenburg, on the contrary, was very much in evidence, running up and down the line, barking at each individual fire fighter and sneezing as he breathed in the pungent smoke.
The graying dawn found the Overlanders still beating at the flames that still kept them on the retreat, driving them deeper and deeper into the forest.
About this time Tom Gray made his second survey. What he found raised his hopes and his spirits.