Middletown transcript., 1909-12-04

casional exclamation. He wal
strong as a bull, but the trees
were furnishing him fearfully.
With time and care we coulC
have forced our way through tn.
Jungle without much discomfort,
But we did not have the time. Ii
less than ten minutes the place
would be a furnace.
| stopped to rest. i was sim.
ply black all round, save that
overhead the sky was reddening.
The roar behind had drowned
the murmnr of the surf. !
could hear Jacks heavy body
crashing somewhere ahead, then
the sound stopped.
Hello, Jack! / shouted.
I'm about In be called back.
That wouldn't do.
Keep up, old man! cried. Il
can't be very much farther. But
any distance at all was too far.
We both started again.
The flames were close behind
now. A faint, ominous light be-
gan to steal through the gloom.
Now and then a spark drew a
scarlet line through the smoke
overhead. What il another are
should start In front
With difficulty l mastered a
mad desire to leap foremost into
the velvety blackness before me.
It would tear out my eyes, scalp
me, crack my skull. But if I
were not out Of that fearful place
in less than ten minutes should
burn to death, held upright by
the trunks, as in a strait jacket.
Perhaps | could get along fas.
ter by creeping.
Down / dropped, actually find
ing it hard to reach the ground.
The branches we're so low that
/ could barely force myself un-
der them. But at last, by put
ting my face closeto the earth, !
managed to crawl along.
A cracking and swapping be.
hind made me turn my head.
The fire was glimmering between
the trunks. Then came q horri.
fed yell from Jack.
It's caught ahead!
A sick panic seized me. l 4
thought of the cool, spacious
Of the sea. Should we,
then, never gain it? It was hard
10 die there.
A streaming, Pickering light began to
yroW in front. The fire had caught in |
he treetops and was working down and |
back. Broader and brighter it spread,
Until at last 1t reached the ground. We |
we're bemmed In by walls of flame.
Hating, ! struggled to my feet aud
TODD breathless. What use TO fight any
onRer? All, would soon be over.
Jacks voice reused me. Mac Mac |
10 shouted. This way, quick I've found
81
Found whatP ! asked, DULY. Had he
'ons madH
The sheep palhI TIE shores only Two
DDS of
Thas gave me strength for q minute or
Q; and / struggled toward him. But /
1as almost exhausted. As last stopped,
90 tired to make another effort.
Mac he cried again. This way
Save yourself, ! replied. cau't 20
tep farther.
| heard q crashing through the trees,
nd presently Jack loomed up before me.
ie didn't cay a word, bus grabbed me
y the shoulder and dragged me slong
y main strength. The hrsnches tor
1snted US frighslulIy, bus at last We
cached the path, and he pushed me
own into il.
Il was low little tunnel, With wool
lfts sticking to the twigs on It's sides.
he fire ahead lighted Is up. How we're
% ever to get through
Jack stripped otf his coat aud threw it
over bis head and shoulders. | did
be same. Before my face was mutIisd l
Of glimpse Of the water at the end OF
be path, and that gave me new strength.
needed IL. The Hre was close around
now. With rush il swept through
le bOughs overhead, roofing us With
anne. Little blazing twigs began 10 fall.
was time to 20.
Jack had put me in front. He intend
to see that got through.
Now crawl ! be cried, giving me push:
nd we started,
But for she coats over our heads We
louId have bFeathed Gre and perished
Eht there. The whole thieket was now
sheet OF fame. The very needles under
u fingers were burning.
butted on blindiy, humping agains.
10 trunks on one side or the other, on,
}. through she terrible heat. Then all
once cold wind struck my body, and ,
tnmbled out head first on the sand,
ith Jack on sop OF me. C
We lay for awhile near the edge Of The
., while the fire blew over US. Our c
'nds aQd faces we're raw, our muscles
he'd, our clothes we're eattered aud
orched. But these we're small things
ben We thought Of the death We had e.
ped in that seven tines-heated furnace
szing bshind Us. a
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