GILLY TURNS FOREST RANGER

“Well, you know, soon after you left us to go down the trail to this place, Tally rode into the stream to reach the tributary he had mentioned. This he followed and, soon, I lost all sight and sound of him and the horse. Then I rode back to Winsor where I expected to turn to go up Grass Mountain for the two Rangers’ advice, and to make sure the burros had not strayed back there.

“I had almost reached Winsor, when I noticed smoke drifting up the trail. I cursed such luck that would call the Rangers to fight a forest fire just when I wanted to find them. But I rode on hoping I might meet them.

“Then the thought flashed through my mind that this fire might drive the horse-thieves to the trail, or burn the slow-going burros with our packs.

“I had not traveled much farther, before I heard the echo of several horses’ hoofs pounding down the hard trail.

“In a short time I saw a number of fire-fighters come tearing over the trail. To my intense relief I saw Oliver and Johnson with them. They recognized me and called to know if I was lost; I tried to explain, but they told me to join them. Then Oliver said:

“‘Panchuelo telephoned our station that a tiny spiral of smoke was seen to rise from the woods at Lake Park. They thought some camper must have left a fire smoldering and gone away to let it eat into dry timber and start a flare.

“‘Johnson and I left orders for our subs on Grass Mountain and caught up our tools, then jumped into the saddle and were off down-trail to meet the other boys coming from Panchuelo.

“‘When we met they told us you had been there and had marveled at the view of the surrounding country when seen through the powerful lens we keep in the observatory. The scouts seemed surprised to hear that a Ranger’s life was not one of ease and “high-living,” laughed Oliver.

“‘And I’m surprised to hear you chat so unconcernedly, Oliver, while we’re on our way to a conflagration,’ said I.

“Oliver replied: ‘We’re used to this. But as I was about to say, you scouts seemed amazed to find that our territory stretches over an area of 100,000 acres. That we have to patrol this area and watch for timber thieves, forest fires, floods, and other calamities to which the forest is subjected; then as a little diversion we construct roads, build bridges, clean away debris and such.

“Oliver now gave me a chance to explain why I had been alone on the road when they had found me.

“I heard Johnson say to Oliver, ‘Say, that may explain the presence of those two disreputable characters that were reported to be camping in Lake Park.’

“And Oliver replied: ‘If we find them I bet we find the three burros.’

“Well, that was some adventure, girls—that fire!” exclaimed Mr. Gilroy.

“Is that all you’ve got to say about it?” demanded Mr. Vernon, impatiently.

“Great Scott, no! I haven’t begun yet.”

“Goodness sakes! It’s past midnight now,” retorted Mrs. Vernon; “when do you expect my girls to sleep if you drag on this way?”

“Oh, Verny! We don’t want any sleep,” declared Joan, and her friends agreed eagerly with her decision.

“I wish you’d all feel this way in the morning, when I have to pull you up,” laughed the Captain.

“If you females will only give me your silence for a time, I’ll finish my story and then you can go to bed,” said Mr. Gilroy, authoritatively. Burt and Mr. Vernon laughed, but Tally continued eating for dear life.

“Well, Oliver and Johnson and I caught up with the other Rangers by the time they were ready to leave the trail and break into the woods. They had drafted every tourist and Indian they met on the road, and we had quite a squad to fight against the fire. I was given a spade and told to get busy when the orders were issued.

“Then we were sent in units to different sections.

“We three, Oliver, Johnson and myself, were sent to a point up the trail for some distance and told to work down to the others.

“Oliver, pausing in the run, said to Johnson: ‘Looks like a mess over there, Johnny. But the wind is for us to-day; it’s blowing in the direction of the open trail and the Ruins.’

“Johnson nodded understandingly, but rode on. Later they met a number of men and several Rangers who had been summoned by the telephone call from other stations. Tally was not to be found at the bridge, neither had the aids, when questioned, seen him or his pony.

“The ‘Ruins’ proved to be a vast area of great bowlders with not a green blade growing there. As this barren, rocky place covered more than five acres, from the stream on one side and the upward slope of the mountain on the other, the fire-fighters could devote their entire attention to that side where the tall trees offered excellent fuel to the fire.

“Working side by side, cutting and chopping away with the double-bitted axes, spading up fresh earth wherever it was possible to turn under any inflammable timber, the dauntless men progressed step by step, yard by yard, till the solid green wall on the up-side began to gap widely.

“But the fire had been advancing, too. Now the men could feel the heat from the flames, and the air became filled with choking smoke and fine, falling wood-ashes. Cries and terror-stricken calls from wild denizens of the forest served to increase the energy and zeal of these systematic fire-fighters.

“As the men and the fire came nearer each other, the trees seemed to drip red-hot cinders. The heat became unbearable, and the fire seemed to win the battle for supremacy, but the wide swath made by the axes now began to have its effect on the encroaching blaze.

“Ranger Oliver blew his patrol whistle to signal the men away from their positions. Here and there he saw spots where a little extra work would save the situation, and to such places he sent his aids.

“Finally these brave men, baffling a peril which menaced all alike, realized that they had subdued the enemy. The flames found nothing in its way upon which to feed and advance, hence they began to weaken and die down, lower and lower, until their roar and hellish heat abated.

“The Ranger now commanded: ‘Go to it, boys, and beat out the ground-fire with your mats.’

“For an hour more, therefore, every one whipped and smothered the sparks or kindlings on the ground, till only a blackened, smoking stretch of woodland remained.

“The night came before the Rangers pronounced the danger to be averted for that time, and thanked all those who had rendered such valuable assistance in quenching the fire,” concluded Mr. Gilroy.

“How about our guide and the men found hanging about the Park?” asked Mr. Vernon of Mr. Gilroy and Tally.

“Why, search as they would, not a sign could the fire-fighters see or hear of Tally, his pony, or of the outlaws and the stolen property. When all hope of finding any clews had been abandoned, the men dispersed to go their respective ways. Then I, with the two Rangers, started to the protected spot where we had tethered the horses. Climbing into the saddles, we rode up the trail, discussing meanwhile the possibilities of Tally’s escape.

“‘You know, if your guide had been acquainted in these mountains he could safely have taken another trail at that bridge and have made his way to our lookout by a different trail. We Rangers have to blaze many trails on our sections in order to facilitate our own riding when we have to hurry to a blaze. If a trail is impassable it engenders great areas of forests by giving the fire a chance to spread,’ said Johnson.

“‘Tally is a well-trained guide, and I’d wager anything that he’ll find a trail even where there isn’t one blazed. If it comes to the worst he’ll blaze a trail of his own,’ I said.

“‘He must be a pretty wise chap,’ said Oliver.

“‘He’s that wise that I’ll wager you still further if that fire hasn’t done for those outlaws and the horses, I bet he’ll bring them to time single-handed!’ I added.

“Twilight was darkening into night before we three weary riders said good-by to each other and parted—they to go back to their lookout, and I to ride down here to keep the tryst with you fair ladies.”

As Mr. Gilroy concluded his tale, the scouts cried: “Oh, Gilly! That isn’t all! Where did you find Tally and the burros?”

“Ah! But that’s another yarn which must be told by the hero himself. Now Tally, it is your turn to brag of all you did,” chuckled Mr. Gilroy, leaning back in the chair to hear Tally speak.

At the same time the Guide leaned back in his chair also, and sighing heavily, remarked with satisfaction: “Ah, dat goot job done clean!” Then he pushed his polished plate away from before him and wiped his mouth carefully on the napkin.

The scouts laughed, but Julie added: “Tell us your story.”

“Solly, Mees Jule, but me go fix burros for sleep now,” and with that the Indian slipped away and could not be urged back.