“Every man in the district is out, doing what he can—it’s chiefly getting people away from the lonely farms back in the bush, and from the sawmillers’ camps. They’re sending cars out from Baroin to take refugees in there. I think your place is safer than most, for it’s surrounded with green—but you can’t tell. Every bit of woodwork is hot to the touch to-day, and if a burning branch lodged on a shed roof or under the veranda, the house would go.”
“Yes—I see that,” Mrs. Hurst said. “What should I do, Mr. Merritt?”
“Keep a close watch, that’s all. There’s no safer place than the creek down below your paddock, for there are good holes with no trees near them to hold the fire. That’s the worst—the trees: the grass and ferns go like a flash, but the trees burn so long, and shower fragments everywhere. If the house catches, or if you see flames coming from the hills behind the smoke, make for the creek—take blankets with you to soak and put over your heads. And don’t leave it too late to go! There would be men here to watch your place only that we don’t reckon you’re in as much danger as most of the places.”
“We do not need anyone,” Mrs. Hurst said, calmly. “But is there nothing any of us can do?”
“Can’t I be some use, Mr. Merritt?” Barry struck in. “I could help the men!”
“No, my son, you can’t. We want only men who know every yard of the country. Be ready to do all you can here—you had better take it in turns to watch, or your eyes will soon give out—three men are smoke-blind already. You might have food and drinks ready, Mrs. Hurst: I’ll tell any of the men they can get a bite here, if I may. They may not have the chance, but if they do it will be a help.”
“It will be a comfort to do it,” Mrs. Hurst said. “I’ll have boracic lotion made, too, for their poor eyes.”
“That’s a real good idea. Well, I must be off.” He swung himself into the saddle, and then spoke again. “We’re pretty anxious about Danny Sanders; his brother’s splitting rails over near Gaunt’s Crossing, camping alone, and we heard by telephone that there’s a big fire there. Danny went off at once on a horse—but he has five miles of awful country to get through, and by the look of it the fire will be across it before he is. Well, it’s a black day for Gippsland!” He wheeled his horse, and in a moment was swallowed up by the smoke.
“We must all work,” Mrs. Hurst said. “Robin, will you and Barry watch, for the present—one in front, the other at the back. We will get food ready: and all of us must eat something, for we’ll need all our strength.” They battled against the raging wind, fighting each step across the yard.
“I’m blessed if I’m going to let the house go without putting up a fight!” declared Robin.