"We've flanked it!" he cried. "That old cutting to the left has saved us on that side."
"Thank Heaven!" answered Grace in a choking voice. "Te—ell the others!"
"We aren't through yet," reminded Tom, hurrying back to give the others the encouraging news and to urge them to continue their efforts.
Shouts, choking, gasping shouts, greeted the announcement. Then how they did work, the girls with handkerchiefs stuffed in their mouths, and Hippy Wingate with a piece of his khaki shirt gripped between his teeth and partly covering his nostrils as an aid in keeping the smoke out of his lungs. The throats of all were parched and aching for water, but there was none to be had near at hand, and no time to go to the river for it.
At nine o'clock in the morning the forest fire was conquered, after having burned over several acres of timber. Here and there little blazes were fanned into life by the morning breeze, but alert eyes discovered, and ready hands quickly whipped them out.
"Done! But it will have to be watched. You girls go back to camp and make some coffee. I don't believe that much of our belongings have been destroyed," said Tom.
Instead of starting for camp, the girls sank down in their tracks, and dropped instantly into a sleep of exhaustion. Neither man made an effort to arouse them.
"I wish I might do that too. What do you say if we take just one little cat-nap, Tom?" urged Hippy.
"Can't be done. The fire might start again."
"Oh, hang the fire!" growled Lieutenant Wingate.