point."

Charley's anxiety lent wings to his heels and he started at a rate of
speed that would soon have winded both boys. At a protest from Lew, he
dropped to a fast walk. With open fire trails before them, the chums
advanced rapidly. Soon they were well up the slope of the next mountain.
They turned and studied the country behind them with anxious eyes. But no
smoke columns showed against the green of the forest and they went on with
lighter hearts.

"I'm certainly going to get a pair of good field-glasses," said Charley,
"though I don't know where the money's to come from any more than I know
how I'll get my battery. But I just have to have both."

Their meeting-place with Mr. Morton was in the next valley. Charley
glanced at his watch and saw that they were early for the appointment. Yet
he kept on at good speed in the hope that Mr. Morton might also be early.
He wanted to talk to him as soon as he possibly could. The two boys never
reached the meeting-place, however, for shortly they met Mr. Morton
himself coming up the fire trail. He had reached the meeting-place, and,
being early, had decided to climb to the top of the hill. He knew that his
subordinate would almost certainly travel by way of this fire trail, and
he planned to keep watch on the mountain top while he waited for him.

Charley was so relieved to see his ranger that he scarcely knew what to
say. He suddenly felt so different that he was almost ashamed of having
been alarmed. As he looked at it now, it seemed foolish to have been so
disturbed because a stranger had been provoked at what he chose to regard
as interference with his fishing.