"Good-morning," continued Willie. "Caught any trout yet?"
"The forest is afire!" flashed back Charley. "Get the district forester on the telephone instantly. His headquarters are at Oakdale. Tell him the fire is in the third valley east of Old Ironsides; that the message is from the two boys he met yesterday; that we are trying to hold it. Ask what we shall do. I'll wait for his answer."
For what seemed an endless period of time, Charley waited. Seconds were like minutes. Minutes dragged like quarter hours. It seemed as though Willie would never answer. There was nothing for Charley to do but sit and wait. In his impatience he could hardly keep still. He could not take his mind from the fire. He could think of nothing but that roaring line of flame consuming the floor of the forest and destroying the young growths. Would Willie never get the forester? Must the entire woods burn before the forester knew of the fire? In his excitement Charley clasped and unclasped his hands and nervously swayed back and forth as he sat on the ground.
Suddenly he sat up as steady as a stone image. The wireless was beginning to speak.
"Forester on wire now," came the message from Willie. "Wants know exactly where fire is."
"A little south of east of where he met us, in the third valley beyond Ironsides," flashed back Charley.
"How big is the fire?" came a second question, after a brief interval.
"Don't know. Too big for us. Lew still fighting it. I'm going back. What shall we do?"
Again there was a pause. Then Willie answered: "Forester says find header and back-fire. Try to hold it till fire crew arrives."
"Will do our best. Listen in often. May need call you. Good-bye."