Shortly after 3:00 A.M. Quiz Taylor aroused Sandy and Jerry, who were asleep in the supply truck.
“Come on, they need us!” he told them excitedly. “The fire has really busted loose again.”
Sandy sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes. “Whazza matter? Wha’ happened?”
“There’s a real southwester blowing up. The fire has crowned again—you should see it! She may leap the ridge!”
“Leap the ridge!” Sandy sat up ramrod-straight, jolted into full wakefulness. “Good night! Let’s go!” He and Jerry slipped on their boots and laced them frantically.
The sight that greeted them as they leaped out of the truck was frightening. To the east, as far as the eye could see, the canopy of the forest was one massive sheet of writhing, twisting fire. Long, forked tongues of flame leaped high into the sky, whipped about by the strong breeze blowing from the southwest. The head of the fire had veered off sharply and was attacking the ridge on a quarter-mile front which was widening every second.
The boys hurried over to Dick Fellows, who was talking into the walkie-talkie and scribbling frantically on a pad. As soon as the conversation ended, he tore off the sheet he had been writing on and handed it to Sandy.
“Make sure every gang boss on the ridge sees this,” he said tersely. “If she crosses the ridge, they’re to pull out their crews at once and retreat to the road. If this wind keeps up, we might not even be able to hold her there.”
For the first time, Sandy was aware of the loose debris blowing across the clearing. As he took the paper from the ranger, it almost blew out of his hand. In the unburned portion of the forest, the treetops were rustling nervously. It sounded like a lament, Sandy thought.
Dick looked at Jerry. “We’ve pulled most of the men out of the south line already. Landers feels that we should abandon it altogether for the present. Suppose you run down there and notify them, Jerry. Tell ’em to report behind the ridge on the double. They need every man they can get. Quiz, you stay here in case anything else important comes in.”