It was about the middle of the afternoon and we had been so busy reconnoitering that we probably had not discovered it at first.
"It looks like a tremendous forest fire," said Jim, "and we will see it before night."
"What are we going to do if it comes our way?" I asked. "We will be perfectly helpless."
CHAPTER VII
THE CAPTAIN'S RECORD
Captain Graves was a methodical man, and kept a minute record in the form of a diary of everything that occurred from day to day.
There were volumes in his cabin on the plateau that related the adventures and vicissitudes of his life from the time of the Mexican war down. They were wonderfully interesting.
Here is the account of his trip with Tom and likewise the opinion that he had formed of us three boys.
"It has been a real pleasure for me to have the three boys, Jim, Jo and Tom, with me. One sometimes grows tired of being always alone, even when surrounded by all the beauties of nature and even one's books fail to interest at times.