“Nick, I believe it’s the Last Day that has come.”

The lad turned toward his sister, who was sitting far back in her seat, as though trying to shut out the scene which had such a fascination for her.

The face of the girl wore such a ghastly color, that Nick could not wonder at her fright, but he shook his head.  He felt he was the man now, and it would not do for him to show any weakness.

“It isn’t the Judgment Day, Nellie; for, according to the Bible, it will come in a different way than this.  There are a good many things which are not understood by folks, and I suppose this must be one of them.”

“I can smell burning wood,” broke in the sister, leaning forward and snuffing the smoky air.

“I am sure I do, and that’s what is making all this trouble.”

“But suppose, Nick, these woods are on fire?  How far is it back to where we entered them?”

“About three miles, and it is five to the open country ahead, where we leave them; but there is the creek, less than a mile ahead, so if we should find the woods burning, we can stop there till it is over.”

The sister, however, had suggested a danger to the brother which alarmed him.  The mare had been walking slowly, for it seemed more in harmony with the scene that she should do so.  The driver now jerked the lines so sharply that she pricked up her ears and started off at a rapid gait, that is as the mare herself doubtless looked upon traveling.

The first real thrill of alarm came to the lad, when he recalled that if a fire should appear, he and his sister were in the worst possible position:  there were three miles of forest behind and five in front.

The mare seemed to awaken to a sense of danger, for she threw up her head with unusual sprightliness, struck into a trot so rapid that Nick was a little frightened, lest in the gloom the carriage should come in contact with some obstruction which he could not detect in time.

“See there!”

As Nellie uttered the exclamation, she caught the arm of her brother and pointed ahead, but there was no need of her doing so, for he had seen the peril.  The road immediately in front was filled with heavy smoke, which, as it rolled forward, caused them to cough almost to the strangulation point.  At the same time, a crimson streak of flame shot in and out of the murky vapor, like the flashing of lightning:  the fire was burning immediately in front and it would not do to go further.

Nick stopped the horse, and, half rising and bending forward, peered into the suffocating vapor.  Then he turned and looked behind him, in which direction Nellie was also gazing.

“How is it there?” he asked.

“There is plenty of smoke, but I see no fire.”

“Then we must go back.”

The road was quite narrow, though there was room for two teams to pass each other, and Nick turned the frightened mare as quickly as he could; she was so nervous and fidgety that it was hard work to control her, but she was headed toward Dunbarton, after some difficulty, and as soon as the rein was given her, away she went at a spanking trot.