“Look out, here! Have to shut your eyes!” he warned his two companions on the seat of the buckboard, and threw the saturated coat over Miss Amanda’s head. The dripping garment sheltered Carolyn May as well.
“Now, good horse!” he yelled to Cherry, leaping back to the seat. “Gid-ap!”
The horse started up the slope. Another swirling brand came down upon them. Joseph Stagg fought it off with his bare hand. His shirt sleeve caught fire and he was painfully burned on the forearm before he could smother the blaze.
It was growing so hot now that the leaves on the trees curled and were blasted before the flames actually reached them. Behind the fleeing buckboard the conflagration was on both sides of the narrow path. They were barely keeping ahead of the enemy.
Another flaming brand fell, landing on Cherry’s back. The horse squealed and leaped forward at a pace which Mr. Stagg could not control. Maddened by the burn, Cherry had taken the bit in his teeth and was running away.
The man threw down the reins. He could do nothing towards retarding the frightened horse’s pace. Indeed, he did not want to stop him.
His left arm he flung around Miss Amanda and the child, and with his right hand clung to the rocking seat of the careening buckboard.
The wet steaming coat saved the woman and the child from injury. More than one brand settled on it, and the garment only smoked. But Joseph Stagg was painfully burned.
On and on dashed the maddened horse. It was a mercy, indeed, that the buckboard was not overturned.
Sparks rose from burning brush clumps and flew over them in a shower. Prince yelped and whined pitifully, but, like Mr. Stagg, he hung on.