"It does seem as though there must be
fire under this sawdust now."
Tom brought his own gaze down from the empty tree-top with a
jerk. "Hoo!" he shouted, and leaned forward suddenly to flick
his off horse with the whiplash. Just then the rear wheel on
that side slumped down into what seemed a veritable volcano.
Flame and smoke spurted out around the broad wheel. Nan
screamed. The wind suddenly swooped down upon them, and a ball
of fire, flaming sawdust was shot into the air and was
tossed twenty feet by a puff of wind.
"We're over an oven!" gasped Tom, and laid the whip solidly
across the backs of the frightened horses.
They plunged. Another geyser of fire and smoke spurted from the
hole into which the rear wheel had slumped. Again and again the
big horses flung themselves into the collars in an endeavor to
get the wheel out.
"Oh, Tommy!" cried Nan. "We'll be burned up!"
"No you won't," declared her cousin, leaping down. "Get off and
run, Nan."
"But you,"
"Do as I say!" commanded Tom. "Run!"
"Where, where'll I run to?" gasped the girl, leaping off the
tongue, too, and away from the horses' heels.
"To the road. Get toward home!" cried Tom, running around to the
rear of the timber cart.
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