. St. Nicholas [serial]. igh up the side of the mountain as theywere, the nights were clear and cool, and themen were sure of a sound, refreshing foreman drove the work ahead, and in THE FIRE CAT. 315 fifteen days the dam was completed. The onlything remaining was to fill the reservoir andtest the strength of the work. This requiredseveral days, for the stream, owing to the exces-sive heat, was low. During the time necessaryto fill in, the men were employed in clearing onwhat would be later the water-covered bottomand sides of the reservoir. Simcoe, during thesedays, tramped about th
. St. Nicholas [serial]. igh up the side of the mountain as theywere, the nights were clear and cool, and themen were sure of a sound, refreshing foreman drove the work ahead, and in THE FIRE CAT. 315 fifteen days the dam was completed. The onlything remaining was to fill the reservoir andtest the strength of the work. This requiredseveral days, for the stream, owing to the exces-sive heat, was low. During the time necessaryto fill in, the men were employed in clearing onwhat would be later the water-covered bottomand sides of the reservoir. Simcoe, during thesedays, tramped about the hills, watched thetrails where the fire encroached upon them, andwith his rifle brought fresh meat daily intocamp. But at last the tiny pond crept up tothe overflow of the dam and trickled over it ina small stream. Then the men, over-anxiousabout the great fires, gladly broke camp andprepared to begin the descent early the nextmorning. The men lay down to sleep, and the foremanlooked for Simcoe. The moment had come for. the foreman to turn the command over to theIndian, who was captain on the trail. The skywas cold, clear, and moonless above them, down among the hills, was a seaof black smoke, out of which flashed here and THE FIRE CAT. 316 there a glow of red as some tree became a torchof flame in the hurricane of fire. The foremanwas decidedly nervous over the prospect of adescent through this glowing tract, and hewanted to have a good talk with Simcoe be-fore they started. He found the Indian sitting at the end ofthe dam, his rifle across his knees, silently con-templating the fires in the distance below. She \s sure pretty warm pyrertechnic overyonder, said the foreman. Pyrer what ? demanded the Indian, hisvoice betraying a slight nervousness. Technic, Simcoe. All same savvy fireworks, Simcoe ? The Indian felt relieved. He was troubledin his mind about this spread of the forest fires,and the sound of a new word had jarred onhim like an ill omen. H
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Keywords: ., bookauthordodgemar, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1873
