Charley Morton received the lunch with joy.
"Ain't had time to get together grub since we came," said he, "and didn't know when I would."
"What do you want us to do?" asked Bob.
"The fire line's drawn1 right across from Granite2 Creek3 down there in the canon over to a bald dome4. We got her done an hour ago, and pretty well back-fired. All we got to do now is to keep her from crossing anywheres; and if she does cross, to corral her before she can get away from us."
"I wish we could have got here sooner!" cried Bob, disappointed that the little adventure seemed to be flattening5 out.
"So?" commented Charley drily. "Well, there's plenty yet. If she gets out in one single, lonesome place, this fire line of ours won't be worth a cent. She's inside now--if we can hold her there." He gazed contemplatively aloft at a big dead pine blazing merrily to its very top. Every once in a while a chunk6 of bark or a piece of limb came flaring7 down to hit the ground with a thump8. "There's the trouble," said he. "What's to keep a spark or a coal from that old coon from falling or rolling on the wrong side of the line? If it happens when none of us are around, why the fire gets a start. And maybe a coal will roll down hill from somewhere; or a breeze come up and carry sparks. One spark over here," he stamped his foot on the brushed line, "and it's all to do over again. There's six of us," added the ranger9, "and a hundred of these trees near the line. By rights there ought to be a man camped down near every one of them."
"Give us our orders," repeated Bob.
"The orders are to patrol the fire line," said Morton. "If you find the fire has broken across, corral it. If it gets too strong for you, shoot your six-shooter twice. Keep a-moving, but take it easy and save yourself for to-morrow. About two o'clock, or so, I'll shoot three times. Then you can come to camp and get a little sleep. You got to be in shape for to-morrow."
"Why especially to-morrow?" asked Bob.
"Fire dies in the cool of night; it comes up in the middle of the day," explained Morton succinctly10.
Bob took to the right, while Jack11 went in the opposite direction. His way led down hill. He crossed a ravine, surmounted12 a little ridge13. Now he was in the worse than total darkness of the almost extinct area. Embers and coals burned all over the side hill like so many evil winking14 eyes. Far ahead, down the mountain, the rising smoke glowed incandescent15 with the light of an invisible fire beneath, Bob, blinded by this glow, had great difficulty in making his way. Once he found that he had somehow crept out on the great bald roundness of a granite dome, and had to retrace16 his steps. Twice he lost his footing utterly17, but fortunately fell but a short distance. At last he found himself in the V of a narrow ravine.
All this time he had, with one exception, kept close track of the fire line. The exception was when he strayed out over the dome; but that was natural, for the dome had been adopted bodily as part of the system of defence. Everywhere the edge of the path proved to be black and dead. No living fire glowed within striking distance of the inflammable material on the hither side the path.
But here, in the bottom of the ravine, a single coal had lodged18, and had already started into flame the dry small brush. It had fallen originally from an oak fully19 a hundred feet away; and in some mysterious manner had found a path to this hidden pocket. The circumstances somewhat shook Bob's faith in the apparent safety of the country he had just traversed.
However, there were the tiny flames, licking here and there, insignificant20, but nevertheless dangerous. Bob carefully laid his canteens and the rake on a boulder21, and set to work with his sharpened hoe. It looked to be a very easy task to dig out a path around this little fire.
In the course of the miniature fight he learned considerable of the ways of fire. The brush proved unexpectedly difficult. It would not stand up to the force of his stroke, but bent22 away. The tarweed, especially, was stubborn under even the most vigorous wielding23 of his sharpened hoe.
He made an initial mistake by starting to hoe out his path too near the blaze, forgetting that in the time necessary to complete his half-circle the flames would have spread. Discovering this, he abandoned his beginning and fell back twenty feet. This naturally considerably24 lengthened25 the line he would have to cut. When it was about half done, Bob discovered that he would have to hustle26 to prevent the fire breaking by him before he could complete his half-circle. It became a race. He worked desperately27. The heat of the flames began to scorch28 his face and hands, so that it was with difficulty he could face his work. Irrelevantly29 enough there arose before his mind the image of Jack Pollock popping corn before the fireplace at headquarters. Continual wielding of the hoe tired a certain set of muscles to the aching point. His mouth became dry and sticky, but he could not spare time to hunt up his canteen. The thought flashed across his mind that the fire was probably breaking across elsewhere, just like this. The other men must be in the same fix. There were six of them. Suppose the fire should break across simultaneously30 in seven places? The little licking flames had at last, by dint31 of a malignant32 persistence33, become a personal enemy. He fought them absorbedly, throwing his line farther and farther as the necessity arose, running to beat down with green brush the first feeble upstartings of the fire as it leaped here and there his barrier, keeping a vigilant34 eye on every part of his defences.
"Well," drawled Charley Morton's voice behind him, "what you think you're doing?"
"Corralling this fire, of course," Bob panted, dashing at a marauding little flame.
"What for?" demanded Charley.
Bob looked up in sheer amazement35.
"See that rock dike36 just up the hill behind you?" explained Morton. "Well, our fire line already runs up to that on both sides. Fire couldn't cross it. We expected this to burn."
Bob suddenly felt a little nauseated37 and dizzy from the heat and violence of his exertions38 in this high altitude.
"Here's your canteen," Morton went on easily. "Take a swig. Better save a little. Feel better? Let me give you a pointer: don't try to stop a fire going up hill. Take it on top or just over the top. It burns slower and it ain't so apt to jump."
"I know; I forgot," said Bob, feeling a trifle foolish.
"Never mind; you've learned something," said Morton comfortably. "Let's go down below. There's fresh fire there; and it may have jumped past Elliott."
They scrambled39 down. Elliott and Ware40 were found to be working desperately in the face of the flames. The fire had not here jumped the line, but it was burning with great ferocity up to the very edge of it. If the rangers41 could for a half-hour prevent the heat from igniting the growths across the defence, the main fire would have consumed its fuel and died down to comparative safety. With faces averted42, heads lowered, handkerchiefs over their mouths, they continually beat down the new little fires which as continually sprang into life again. Here the antagonists43 were face to face across the narrow line. The rangers could not give back an inch, for an inch of headway on the wrong side the path would convert a kindling44 little blaze to a real fire. They stood up to their work doggedly45 as best they might.
With entire understanding of the situation Charley motioned Bob to the front.
"We'll hold her for a minute," he shouted to the others. "Drop back and get a drink."
They fell back to seize eagerly their canteens. Bob gripped his handful of green brush and set to work. For a minute he did not think it possible to face the terrible heat. His garments were literally47 drenched48 with sweat which immediately dried into steam. A fierce drain sucked at his strength. He could hardly breathe, and could see only with difficulty. After a moment Elliott and Ware, evidently somewhat refreshed, again took hold.
How they stuck it out for that infernal half-hour Bob could not have told, but stick it out they did. The flames gradually died down; the heat grew less; the danger that the shrivelled brush on the wrong side the fire line would be ignited by sheer heat, vanished. The four men fell back. Their eyebrows49 and hair were singed50; their skin blackened. Bob's face felt sore, and as though it had been stretched. He took a long pull at his canteen. For the moment he felt as though his energy had all been drained away.
"Well, that was a good little scrap," observed Charley Morton cheerfully. "I certainly do wish it was always night when a man had to fight fire. In a hot sun it gets to be hard work."
Elliott rolled his eyes, curiously51 white like a minstrel's in his blackened face, at Bob, but said nothing.
"We'll leave Elliott here to watch this a few minutes, and go down the line," said Morton.
Bob lifted his canteen, and, to his surprise, found it empty.
"Why, I must have drunk a gallon!" he cried.
"It's dry work," said Morton.
They continued on down the fire line, pausing every once in a while to rake and scrape leisurely52 at the heavy bark beneath some blazing stub. The fierce, hard work was over. All along the fire line from the dome of granite over the ridge down to Granite Creek the fire had consumed all the light fuel on its own side the defence. No further danger was to be apprehended53 in the breaking across. But everywhere through the now darkening forest blazed the standing46 trees. A wind would fill the air with brands; and even in the present dead calm those near the line were a threat.
The men traversed the fire line from end to end a half-dozen times. Bob became acquainted individually and minutely with each of the danger spots. The new temporary features of country took on, from the effects of vigilance and toil54, the dignity of age and establishment. Anxiously he widened the path here, kicked back glowing brands there, tried to assure himself that in no possible manner could the seed of a new conflagration55 find germination56. After a long time he heard three shots from up the mountain. This, he remarked, was a signal agreed upon. He shouldered his blackened implements57 and commenced a laborious58 ascent59.
Suddenly he discovered that he was very tired, and that his legs were weak and wobbly. Stubs and sticks protruded60 everywhere; stones rolled from under his feet. Once on a steep shale61, he fell and rolled ten feet out of sheer weariness. In addition he was again very thirsty, and his canteen empty. A chill gray of dawn was abroad; the smell of stale burning hung in the air.
By the time he had staggered into camp the daylight had come. He glanced about him wearily. Across a tiny ravine the horses dozed62, tied each to a short picket63 rope. Bob was already enough of a mountaineer to notice that the feed was very scant64. The camp itself had been made under a dozen big yellow pines. A bright little fire flickered65. About it stood utensils66 from which the men were rather dispiritedly helping67 themselves. Bob saw that the long pine needles had been scraped together to make soft beds, over which the blankets had been spread. Amy herself, her cheeks red, her eyes bright, was passing around tin cups of strong coffee, and tin plates of food. Her horse, saddled and bridled68, stood nearby.
"Take a little of this," she urged Bob, "and then turn in."
Bob muttered his thanks. After swallowing the coffee, however, he felt his energies reviving somewhat.
"How did you leave things at the lower end?" Morton was asking him.
"All out but two or three smouldering old stubs," replied Bob. "Everything's safe."
"Nothing's safe," contradicted Morton. "By rights we ought to watch every minute. But we got to get some rest in a long fight. It's the cool of the morning and the fire burns low. Turn in and get all the sleep you can. May need you later."
"I'm all in," acknowledged Bob, throwing back his blanket; "I'm willing to say so."
"No more fire in mine," agreed young Elliott.
The other men said nothing, but fell to their beds. Only Charley Morton rose a little stiffly to his feet.
"Aren't you going to turn in too, Charley?" asked the girl quickly.
"It's daylight now," explained the ranger, "and I can see to ride a horse. I reckon I'd better ride down the line."
"I've thought of that," said Amy. "Of course, it wouldn't do to let the fire take care of itself. See; I have Pronto saddled. I'll look over the line, and if anything happens I'll wake you."
"You must be about dead," said Charley. "You've been up all night fixing camp and cooking----"
"Up all night!" repeated Amy scornfully. "How long do you think it takes me to make camp and cook a simple little breakfast?"
"But the country's almighty69 rough riding."
"On Pronto?"
"He's a good mountain pony," agreed Charley Morton; "California John picked him out himself. All right. I do feel some tired."
This was about six o'clock. The men had slept but a little over an hour when Amy scrambled over the rim70 of the dike and dropped from her horse.
"Charley!" she cried, shaking the ranger by the shoulder; "I'm sorry. But there's fresh smoke about half-way down the mountain. There was nothing left to burn fresh inside the fire line, was there? I thought not."
Twenty minutes later all six were frantically71 digging, hoeing, chopping, beating in a frenzy72 against the spread of the flames. In some manner the fire had jumped the line. It might have been that early in the fight a spark had lodged. As long as the darkness of night held down the temperature, this spark merely smouldered. When, however, the rays of the sun gathered heat, it had burst into flame.
This sun made all the difference in the world. Where, in the cool of the night, the flames had crept slowly, now they leaped forward with a fierce crackling; green brush that would ordinarily have resisted for a long time, now sprang into fire at a touch. The conflagration spread from a single point in all directions, running swiftly, roaring in a sheet of fire, licking up all before it.
The work was fierce in its intensity73. Bob, in common with the others, had given up trying--or indeed caring--to protect himself. His clothes smoked, his face smarted and burned, his skin burned and blistered74. He breathed the hot air in gasps75. Strangely enough, he did not feel in the least tired.
He did not need to be told what to do. The only possible defence was across a rock outcrop. To right and left of him the other men were working desperately to tear out the brush. He grubbed away trying to clear the pine needles and little bushes that would carry the fire through the rocks like so many powder fuses.
He had no time to see how the others were getting on; he worked on faith. His own efforts were becoming successful. The fire, trying, one after another, various leads through the rocks, ran out of fuel and died. The infernal roaring furnace below, however, leaped ever to new trial.
Then all at once Bob found himself temporarily out of the game. In trying to roll a boulder out of the way, he caught his hand. A sharp, lightning pain shot up his arm and into the middle of his chest. When he had succeeded in extricating76 himself, he found that his middle finger was squarely broken.
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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flattening
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| n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词 | |
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chunk
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| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
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flaring
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| a.火焰摇曳的，过份艳丽的 | |
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thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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ranger
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| n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员 | |
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succinctly
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| adv.简洁地；简洁地，简便地 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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incandescent
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| adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的 | |
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retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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wielding
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| 手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的现在分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响） | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hustle
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| v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌) | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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scorch
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| v.烧焦，烤焦；高速疾驶；n.烧焦处，焦痕 | |
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irrelevantly
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| adv.不恰当地，不合适地；不相关地 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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dike
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| n.堤，沟；v.开沟排水 | |
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nauseated
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| adj.作呕的，厌恶的v.使恶心，作呕( nauseate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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ware
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| n.(常用复数)商品，货物 | |
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rangers
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| 护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员 | |
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averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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antagonists
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| 对立[对抗] 者，对手，敌手( antagonist的名词复数 )； 对抗肌； 对抗药 | |
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kindling
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| n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
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doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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50
singed
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| v.浅表烧焦( singe的过去式和过去分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿] | |
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51
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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germination
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| n.萌芽，发生；萌发；生芽；催芽 | |
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implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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shale
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| n.页岩，泥板岩 | |
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dozed
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| v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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utensils
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| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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68
bridled
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| 给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 )； 控制； 昂首表示轻蔑（或怨忿等）； 动怒，生气 | |
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69
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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70
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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71
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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72
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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73
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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74
blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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75
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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76
extricating
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| v.使摆脱困难，脱身( extricate的现在分词 ) | |
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