Without plan or direction, they wandered on, hoping less and less confidently as time went by that Fate would reveal to them Darry’s whereabouts.
At last, when they were almost dropping with fatigue, they came upon a little hut hidden in the dense foliage. They were suspicious of it at first, thinking it might be the property of people like those they had seen in the swamp. But, realizing finally that it was deserted, they approached warily.
“Why, here is a radio set inside!” Jessie suddenly called out, in the tone of one greeting an old friend. “Come on in while I hear what it has to say.”
Evidently she heard something unpleasant, for, as they crowded to the door of the hut, Jessie turned toward them, the headphones dangling loosely from her fingers and a look of dread on her face.
“There is a fire!” she cried. “And it must be close to here.”
CHAPTER XX
THE FIRE
The others stared at Jessie incredulously for a moment. Then Amy rushed forward and grasped one of the phones. Suddenly the dread in Jessie’s face spread to hers.
“It must be a terrible fire! They are calling out the reserves!” she exclaimed.
“What shall we do?” cried Nell. “We don’t know which way to run!”
“Let me pass, please,” cried an authoritative voice, and a forest ranger dashed past them and rushed up to the radio set. The young folks watched him with fascinated interest.