“For God’s sake, are you going to keep us here till we are smothered?” yelled my friend; and there was some danger of it, for the smoke swept towards us in clouds, and made us gasp for breath and long for a drink of the sweet water of the Loddon.

Thus urged, Day made another hasty survey of the smoking plain, and then, striking his sharp, bony heels into the sides of his horse, led the way over the burning grass at a tremendous pace, closely followed by Mr. Brown and myself.

The animals, as though aware that their lives and our own depended upon their good behavior, galloped over the plain that separated us from the woods without once balking, although I feared and expected it every moment.  After we reached the trees where the fire was raging severely, and where it was impossible to discover the path which we had followed when we were on our way to the treasure, I was fearful that we should be obliged to dismount and trust to our legs for an escape, for to have checked our animals even for a moment would have so bewildered them that we should have lost all control over them.  Our good genius, Day, however, by some peculiar landmark, knew the trail in spite of the smoke, and did not hesitate for a moment.

“Keep close to me,” he shouted, looking back for a moment, and then, with a wild yell, he gave his horse free rein, and on we dashed close to his heels.

On each side of us the flames were roaring and surging like the breaking of a heavy surf upon the seashore, and every moment the fire was extending by the aid of the grass and dead branches of trees, which were like tinder, no rain having fallen in that part of the country for three months.

We could see but a short distance ahead of us owing to the smoke, and for a while we were in a state of great uncertainty whether there was an outlet in the direction which we were pursuing.  Our retreat was cut off, for the fire had rolled across our track, consuming every blade of grass in its course, and our only hope of safety was to continue onward and endeavor to outstrip our enemy.

Suddenly Day checked his horse, and waited for us to gain his side.

“We can’t get to the river this way,” he said, hurriedly, “for the grass is all on fire in front of us, and is burning like a furnace.  Our animals would drop before they got twenty rods, and then where should we be?”

The question was too pertinent to be answered readily, even if we had the time.

“I think that we had better take to the woods on our right and endeavor to gain the mountain, or the foot of it at least.  The fire does not spread so fast in the vicinity of the trees, although there is more smoke than on the open land.”

“There is danger of our getting confused, and rushing into the fire, instead of out of it,” replied Mr. Brown, in answer to my suggestion.

“Not if Day knows the ground,” I replied.

“I know every rod of it between here and the Loddon,” he answered, promptly.