But the boys were
oblivious of their condition.
In open-mouthed wonder they stared at the spectacle presented by
the flames from whose devouring fury they had so narrowly escaped.
The wall of fire had in reality been farther away than it had
seemed. For several minutes it advanced, the tongues of flames
towering in the air. A moment the livid wall paused as it reached
the brink of the river, while jets of fire reached out as though
striving to clutch the men who had escaped. Then seemingly bent on
overtaking them, the flames leaped over the edge, devouring the
brush and grass to the water's edge, where, loath to admit defeat,
the flames flickered uncertainly and then died away, leaving
nothing but a pall of smoke to mark their course of destruction.
"They came mighty near getting us that time," exclaimed Pete,
looking back over the still glowing plains.
"Too near," assented Mr. Wilder. "But Megget's men will suffer for
this trick, never fear."
"They'll sure be surprised when they see us," chimed in the owner
of the Three Stars.
"That's just it," returned Mr. Wilder. "Of course, they think we
have perished in the flames, and when they see us riding in on them
they will be so scared it will take all the fight out of them."
None the worse for their experience, the cowboys were eager to be
under way again that they might exact satisfaction upon the raiders
for their unwilling flight.
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