flame in it, and raging smoke, and the roar of a falling tree. It silenced all other sound as half the boys swept forward down the road to Mains. Steve and Tod were halted by the tree and the man who was caught beneath it, and Ike fled after his mates with a face of pure wordless horror.
Little flames licked Steve’s boot, and a puff of scorching air touched his cheek. He stood unmoving, while Tod, on his knees, tore at the branches in haste.
“Lou! Arrah, then, Lou! git away out ov that, befure the fire has us aiten up entoirely! Lou! Is it dead ye are down there?”
Lou was pinned by the middle. He beat his arms free, and the gay grin flashed in the blue eyes, crushing down the mortal pain.
“Go an’ chuck the earth out of its axis with a crowbar. Tod,” he said. “For you’ll do it before I’m out of this.”
The tree was skeleton-white in a death of long years. But no power save that of the fire would move it where it lay athwart the track. Steve came to his knees.
“Tell us what ter do,” he said stupidly. “We got ter git yer out, or the fire’ll have us all, Lou.”
A whirl-devil of fire spun along the tree, snatching at Lou’s hair, and dropping sparks on his face. Tod swept them off, his light eyes wild with fear.
