Bob laughed

“We sure have,” he said.  “But we don’t allers pull it off.  No.  We’ve had ten fires on our range in two weeks.  We’ve beat the fires, but we ain’t smashed the ‘bugs’ that set ’em.”

“Would they be all one feller?  The feller that got it?” The dark man’s eyes were serious.  His tone was troubled.

Peter shook his head.

“No, sir.  There’s more’n one, sure.  An’ from the things I’ve heerd tell from the boys on the neighbourin’ ranges it’s happening all along through our limits.  They tell me there’s queer things doin’ an’ no one seems to locate the meaning right.”

“What sort of things?”

The dark man spoke sharply.  Peter’s reply came after profound deliberation.

“Oh, things,” he said.  Then he thrust a gnarled brown hand up under his fur hood, and scratched his head.  “There’s our forest ’phones.  They’re bein’ cut.  It’s the same everywhere.  There’s most always things to break ‘em happenin’, but a break aint a cut.  No.  They’re cut.  Who’s cuttin’ ’em, and why?  Fire-bugs.  It ain’t grouchy jacks.  No.  I’ve heerd the jacks are on the buck in parts, but that ain’t their play.  There ain’t a jack who’d see these forests afire, or do a thing to help that way.  You see, it’s their living, it’s their whole life.  We got so we can’t depend a thing on the ‘phones.  An’ cut our forests ‘phones and we’re gropin’ like blind men.”

“Yes.”

The leaping flames were dropping, and Bob moved out to the store of fuel.  He returned laden, and packed the wood carefully to give the maximum blaze.  Then he squatted again, and again his hands were thrust out to the warmth which meant luxury.

Peter had no more to add.  His grey eyes searched the heart of the fire as he reflected on the things which were agitating his mind.

“I want to get word down, but I can’t depend on the ’phones,” he said presently.  “If they ain’t cut I can’t tell who’s gettin’ the message anyway.  Maybe the wires are bein’ tapped.”

The man across the fire nodded.

“I’m going down,” he said.

“I’m glad.”  Peter’s acknowledgment came with an air of relief.  “I’ll hand you a written report before you pull out.”

“It’s best that way.”

The fire was leaping again.  Its beneficent warmth was very pleasant.  Bob turned his eyes skyward.

“You’ll get a good trip, Father,” he said.  “That snow’s cleared out of the sky.  It ‘ud ha’ been hell if it had caught you out on the lake.”

“Yes.  I wouldn’t have made here.  I wouldn’t have made anywhere if that had happened.”  The dark man laughed.

Peter shook his head.

“No.  You took a big chance.”

“I had to.”

“So?”

“Yes.  I had to get through.  There’s a big piece of trouble coming.”

“To do with these fires?”

“I guess so.”

“I see.”

Peter’s comment was full of understanding.  After awhile the other looked up.