As they passed through the Gulch Tom observed (so he told me later) that if they hurried they could cook their fish by daylight, conserving their candles for the evening’s pastime. He pointed to an area of brightness to the west, that is, beyond the end of the valley, or where it widened out into open country. “We’ll have light for an hour yet,” he said. A little later, as Brent emerged from the cabin to get some water, he noticed that the area of brightness, instead of being less, was of a flaming red and that there was smoke above it. “Come and look at this,” he called. The immediate neighborhood of the cabin was now in shadow, the hard outlines of trees and brush were dissolving in the softening light, but the light in the distance gleamed red. And now this red was rendered the more vivid in the pervading dusk. They saw now that it was not the changing red of sunset, but something alien to the twilight scene, and striking terror. “It’s fire!” said Tom excitedly. CHAPTER XXXIII—David and Goliath “It’s blowing into the valley,” Tom said concernedly; “this is going to be bad.” Scarcely had he said the words when the cabin door blew shut and the loose window rattled alarmingly. “Maybe the swamp will stop it,[2]” said Brent. “It’s this side of the swamp,” Tom answered, gazing intently; “why, it’s right in the valley. _Boy_, that’s bad! It’s going to sweep right through here.” He paused for just three or four seconds, thinking. “Do you suppose we could head it off?” Brent asked. “Either that or it’ll clean out the place,” Tom said. “I doubt if that’s seen anywhere else than here. The gang over at the dam might see it, at that.” “They’ve stopped work by now,” said Brent. “Yep, that’s the trouble. Looks to me as if it might just be starting. Here, I tell you what you do,” he added, in a kind of hurried uncertainty; “no, just let me think a second--here--give us that pail. The best thing for you to do, old man, is to beat it down through the valley and pull up all the brush you can--David and Goliath.” “David got the decision, you know,” said Brent. “Yere, well it’s all you can do. Hustle down that way and yank up all the brush you can--yank it up in a kind of channel right across the path of the fire--see? Here, take a knife--and take this other pail. Thank goodness, the brook runs through down here. After you get a channel cleared, souse it with water all the way across--you won’t get far, I’m afraid. Half an hour ago we could have stopped it--blame it all. Here--here’s your spectacles--hurry up--and go like a fireman, not like a philosopher!” “It shall not pass,” said Brent. “I wish I could believe it,” Tom said. “Anyway, hurry up, for the love of goodness! I’m going to send a signal from the hill. So long, I’ve got the money all right.”