"This storm would put out Vesuvius."
"Don't know him," retorted her cousin. "But it'd put most
anybody out, I allow. Still, fire isn't so easy to quench.
Where's the tree?"
"I can't see it, Tom," declared Nan, with her eyes tightly
closed. She really thought he was too stubborn. Of course, if
there had been any fire in that tree-top, this rain would put it
out in about ten seconds. So Nan believed.
"Look again, Nan," urged her cousin. "This is no funning. If
there's fire in this swamp "
"Goodness, gracious!" snapped Nan. "What a fuss-budget you are
to be sure, Tom. If there was a fire, this rain would smother
it. Oh! Did it ever pelt one so before?"
Fortunately the rain was warm, and she was not much discomforted
by being wet. Tom still clung to the idea that she had started
in his slow mind.
"Fire's no funning, I tell you," he growled. "Sometimes it
smoulders for days and days, and weeks and weeks; then it bursts
out like a hurricane."
"But the rain"
This sawdust is mighty hard-packed, and feet deep," interrupted
Tom. "The fire might be deep down "
"Why, Tom! How ridiculously you talk!" cried the girl. "Didn't
I tell you I saw the smoke coming out of the top of a tree? Fire
couldn't be deep down in the sawdust and the smoke come out of
the tree top.
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