"
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.
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