Page 57 - A Little Bush Maid

"There were big trees blazing everywhere, and stumps and logs, and every
few minutes the fire would get going again in some ferns or long grass, and

go like mischief, and half a dozen men after it, to stop it. Tt had got across
the creek, and there was a line of men on the bank keeping it back. Some

others were chopping down the big, blazing, dead trees, that were simply
showering sparks all round. The wind was pretty strong, and took burning
leaves and sticks ever so far and started the fire in different places. Three

fellows on ponies were doing nothing but watch for these flying firebrands,
galloping after them and putting them out as they fell."

Jim paused.

"Say you put your hook in the water, Wally, old chap," he suggested.

Wally looked and blushed. Tn the excitement of the moment he had
unconsciously pulled up his line until the bait dangled helplessly in the air,
a foot above the water. The party on the log laughed at the expense of

Wally, and Jim proceeded.

"Father and four other men came across the creek and sang out to us--

"’We’re going back a bit to burn a break!’ they said. ’Come along.’

"We all went back about a hundred yards from the creek and lit the grass,

spreading out in a long line across the paddock. Then every one kept his
own little fire from going in the wrong direction, and kept it burning back
towards the creek, of course preventing any logs or trees from getting

alight. Tt was pretty tough work, the smoke was so bad, but at last it was
done, and a big, burnt streak put across the paddock. Except for flying bits

of lighted stuff there wasn’t much risk of the fire getting away from us
when once we had got that break to help us. You see, a grass fire isn’t like a
real bush fire. Tt’s a far more manageable beast. Tt’s when you get fire in

thick scrub that you can just make up your mind to stand aside and let her
rip!"

Jim pulled up his book and examined his bait carefully.