Page:Hendryx--Connie Morgan with the Mounted.djvu/165

Rh It was empty! He called loudly. His voice cracked, and he coughed. He breathed more freely; the smoke had not yet penetrated to the interior of the cabin, and the roof sheltered him from the intense heat of the curtain of fire. Tearing a blanket from the bed, he dashed to the creek. It was shallow, and he rolled in the water and saturated his blanket. Then, holding it above his head, he sprang down the trail to the Stewart. The low timber of the valley was blazing on both sides of the trail and steam rose from his soaked clothing and blanket. He rounded a turn and caught a glimpse of the water of the river. The next instant the water was blotted out. A cloud of dense black smoke rolled upon him, and before him appeared the red flare of flames. He was trapped! He turned back. … The whole valley was a mass of fire!

He pulled the blanket close about his head, turned again, and dashed straight into the flames a,t the point where, a moment before, he had sighted the water of the river. The fire bit into his wrists and hands as he gripped tightly his blanket. Only a few more steps, and the boy knew that he must go down. His knees weakened, and he felt dizzy.