“Let’s think of something pleasanter,” retorted Julie.
“Yes, let’s think of dinner that Tally says is waiting,” added Anne, laughingly.
As they sat down to dine, the scouts saw Omney sitting up on their former post of observation. As they wanted to ride on as soon as possible, one of the scouts asked why the guide didn’t eat his dinner, too.
“Him watch if fire jump. Him kin eat dere as here.”
“The fire is burning the other way, Tally,” said Julie.
“Mebbe him jump back, if wind change. So Omney watch.”
“If it blows this way, what must we do?” asked the Captain.
“Ride back trail us come. An’ ride fas’, too.”
But the fire kept on burning its way in the direction it began to go, and after a long rest on the crags to permit the pall of smoke to be blown away, the guides led the way down the slope. All the down-timber had been burned to ash which was still hot in spots. So the horses picked their way between these heaps. Every vestige of brush, all vegetation, and living creatures were gone. Charred tree trunks showed where the flames had licked up the bark to get at the pine branches overhead, and there, high above the heads of the riders, the fire still raged through the resinous tops.
“It’s a Sodom and Gomorrah for desolation, isn’t it?” said Julie.