The immediate neighborhood of the cabin was now in shadow, the hard outlines of trees and brush were dissolving in the softening light, but the light in the distance gleamed red. And now this red was rendered the more vivid in the pervading dusk. They saw now that it was not the changing red of sunset, but something alien to the twilight scene, and striking terror.
“It’s fire!” said Tom excitedly.
CHAPTER XXXIII—David and Goliath
“It’s blowing into the valley,” Tom said concernedly; “this is going to be bad.”
Scarcely had he said the words when the cabin door blew shut and the loose window rattled alarmingly.
“Maybe the swamp will stop it,[2]” said Brent.
“It’s this side of the swamp,” Tom answered, gazing intently; “why, it’s right in the valley. Boy, that’s bad! It’s going to sweep right through here.” He paused for just three or four seconds, thinking.
“Do you suppose we could head it off?” Brent asked.
“Either that or it’ll clean out the place,” Tom said. “I doubt if that’s seen anywhere else than here. The gang over at the dam might see it, at that.”
“They’ve stopped work by now,” said Brent.