Part 24 (1/2)
On the following day the four outdoor churand hunt, following the dense woods far down the valley The last words of the old stockrass
”Be careful about a fire, lads If you make one, be sure the last spark is out before you leave it A forest fire would play the ot hopes that the rain is coh the fen clouds gave hiement
When noon came the boys had put up a couple of elk, but at such a distance that no one but Bluff fired, and he because he knew no better
”Do you think I wounded him?” he had the nerve to ask, whereat Jerry looked at Frank and just smiled broadly
”Anyhow, they ran off faster after I fired,” asserted Bluff confidently
”I should think anything would,” was all Jerry said, and if there was malice in the remark Bluff did not know it in his innocence
While they sat down to eat the lunch they had carried along Frank called attention to the fact that the wind had risen
”Perhaps Mr Mabie was right, after all, and there is a rainstorested Will
”Then I hope it'll have the decency to hold off until we get ho wouldn't hurt us We're not o any further We've co way since breakfast This valley seems to have no end, and it broadens out down here, too”
”Yes; and, Frank, have you noticed how thick the trees grow, too? Why, in soh between the trunks,” said Jerry
”What ails Frank? He see the air like a hound,” asked Will
”Oh, he always declared he had a fine scent, and I've noticed that he knohen dinner is ready, ahead of the rest of us,” reood-naturedly
”To tell the truth, I ondering, fellohether we could be near another camp,” he remarked
”Did you hear anybody shout?” asked Will
”No; but when there caot a scent of fire No, it wasn't cooking, this tiain; just so”
”Say! you don't think it could be the woods afire, do you?”
”Talk to host-seers, will you! Will, here, can jump on to trouble quicker than any fellow I know Why, if the woods were on fire, don't you think we'd have found that fact out before now, Mr Faint Heart? I guess such a thing couldn't happen without a heap of sain”
”Well, all I can say is, I' after any forest fire experience after what Mr Mabie told us about those friends of his ere nearly burned to death seven years ago; and that was a prairie fire, too,” observed Will, continuing to cast anxious glances around
”Amen to that,” remarked Bluff
”Why, you s, with a healthy blaze ju, Lazy-bones!
We're going to have the delightful pleasure of covering those ten ain,” and Jerry pulled Will to his feet
”Tena pretense of hobbling, as if his iven out ”How in the world can I ever do it?”