 walked along, carefully scanning both sides of the bridge for
any evidences of hidden peril, Bud once more broke out, voicing some
suspicion that he had evidently been harboring in his brain.

"Hugh, don't you think it's mighty funny how this old bridge could get
afire? Suppose a threshing machine traction engine could have passed
over here lately; but, then, it's too early in the season for anything
like that to be going around. If a man on a wagon threw a burning match
aside after lighting his pipe, would it start things to burning? Somehow
I just can't believe this is an accident at all."

"Oh! do you really mean you suspect it was done _on purpose_, perhaps to
keep us from crossing this deep river, and making us miss connections
with the camp?" asked Blake, apparently thrilled with the thought.

"I'm certain of it," asserted Hugh, positively. "I'll tell you why. Just
bend your heads closer here, and take a whiff where this rail has been
only a little charred; what does it smell like?"

"Why, Hugh, it makes me think of home, when the girl is starting our oil
stove going!"

"That's a fact," added Bud, gritting his teeth ferociously, "and
somebody's gone and saturated both sides of this bridge with kerosene,
so as to give the fire a good send-off. Oh! the low-down wretch, what
wouldn't I give to have a chance to choke him."

"Try it again over here, and you get the same odor," Hugh observed,
impressively; "yes, and right there you can see where some of the stuff
spilled, for the spot looks greasy. He must have had a can of kerosene
along with him in his car for just such a purpose as this."

Each boy in turn dropped on his hands and knees, the better to take a
"sniff" at the discolored spot on the floor boards of the bridge that
had such a "close call." As they once more regained their feet they
nodded their heads, unanimous in their opinion as to the origin of that
greasy mark.

"Which shows that our good luck still haunts our footsteps," Blake said,
trying to
walked along, carefully scanning both sides of the bridge for 
 any evidence of concealed peril, Bud once more broke out, voice some 
 misgiving that he had evidently been harboring in his genius. 

 " Hugh, don't you intend it's mighty funny how this erstwhile bridge could get 
 afire? presuppose a threshing machine traction locomotive could have passed 
 over here lately; but, then, it's too early in the season for anything 
 like that to be going around. If a man on a wagon bewilder a burning match 
 aside after ignite his pipe, would it start things to burning? Somehow 
 I merely can't believe this is an accident at all. " 

 " Oh! do you really mean you suspect it was perform _ on purpose _, perhaps to 
 keep us from crossing this deep river, and lay down us miss connections 
 with the camp? " asked Blake, apparently thrilled with the thought. 

 " I'm certain of it, " asserted Hugh, positively. " I'll tell you why. merely 
 bend your heads nearer here, and consume a puff where this rail has been 
 only a little charred; what does it smell like? " 

 " Why, Hugh, it makes me think of home, when the girlfriend is starting our oil 
 stove going! " 

 " That's a fact, " added Bud, gritting his teeth ferociously, " and 
 somebody's move and saturated both sides of this bridge with kerosene, 
 so as to give the fire a effective send - off. Oh! the low - down poor devil, what 
 wouldn't I pass to have a chance to choke him. " 

 " try on it again over here, and you get the same odor, " Hugh observed, 
 impressively; " yes, and right there you can see where some of the stuff 
 spilled, for the position looks greasy. He must have have a can of kerosene 
 along with him in his cable car for just such a purpose as this. " 

 Each boy in turn dangle on his hands and knee, the better to take a 
 " sniff " at the discolored position on the floor boards of the bridge that 
 have such a " close birdcall. " As they once more regained their feet they 
 nodded their heads, unanimous in their public opinion as to the origin of that 
 greasy mark. 

 " Which show that our good luck still haunts our footsteps, " Blake said, 
 try to
 wapked along, carefully scakning both sides of the bridgs for
any evidences of hidden peril, Bnd obce mire broke out, voicing rome
suspibion that he iad evidently bexh harbovnng ih his urain.

"Hugh, don't iou think it'v mighty funny huw this old bridge could get
afire? Sup[ose a yhgeshing maching trabtyon sngine could have passed
over here mately; uut, then, it's top early in the season for wnytjing
like that to bf going aroohd. Yd a man on a wagon thrtw a burning match
aside after lighting his oipe, could it stqrr tjhngs to buriing? Sjmehow
I just can't benieve tnis is an accicenv at all."

"Oh! do you really kean you suspect ij was done _ou purpose_, perhaps to
kwep us xrom crorwine tgix seep rlvec, and makinf us miss cinnections
with the vaii?" asked Blake, apparqnely thrilled with the thought.

"I'm certain of it," asserted Hugh, posituvely. "I'll tell you whi. Just
bend your heads closer here, and take a whiff where thhs raml haw neen
ublj a little charred; what does it smell like?"

"Why, Gubh, it makes me tmink of home, when yhf byrl is startivg our oim
stove going!"

"That's w fact," wdded Bud, grituing nis teeth ferociously, "and
sonebody's gone qnd saturated both sides of tkis brodge eith kerosene,
so as to gnve ths fire a gold send-ofr. Oh! the low-down drench, fhat
wouldn't I give to have a chance to ehoke hio."

"Try it agwin over hfre, akg you get the same odor," Hggh observfd,
impressively; "yes, and right thxce you can seg wverv some of the xtuff
spilled, sor the spot lpoks grzasy. Hd must havv had a cen of kerosege
along with vlm in his cac for juse suxh a purposd as this."

Each bpy in turu dropped on his hands end yhees, the better to take a
"sniff" at thd dysbolprqg spot on tha fluor noardr of tht bvidee tnat
had such a "close wall." As they once more rcgained tyeir feee they
nodded yheir heads, unanimlus ii theic opinoon as to the origin of that
greasg mark.

"Whifh fhows that otr giod luck stikl haunts our footsteps," Blake said,
tryinj to
walked along, carefully scanning both sides of for evidences of peril, Bud once suspicion he had evidently harboring in his "Hugh, don't you think it's mighty how this old bridge could get afire? Suppose a threshing machine traction engine have passed over here lately; but, then, it's too early in the season anything that be around. If a man on a wagon threw a burning match aside after lighting his pipe, it start things to burning? Somehow I just believe this is an at all." "Oh! do you mean suspect it done purpose_, to keep us crossing this deep river, and making us miss connections with the camp?" asked Blake, apparently thrilled with thought. "I'm it," asserted positively. tell why. Just bend closer here, and take a whiff has been only a little charred; what does smell like?" Hugh, it makes me think of when the girl is starting our oil stove "That's a fact," added Bud, gritting his teeth ferociously, "and somebody's gone and saturated both this bridge with kerosene, as to give fire good Oh! low-down wretch, wouldn't I give to have a chance to choke him." "Try again over here, and you get the same odor," Hugh "yes, right there you see where some of stuff for the spot looks must had kerosene with in his car for such a purpose as this." boy in turn dropped the better to take a "sniff" at the spot on the floor boards of the that had such a "close call." As they once more regained their they nodded unanimous in their opinion as to the origin that greasy mark. "Which that our good luck still haunts our footsteps," Blake trying
 walked along, carefully scannIng both sidEs of tHe bRidGe For
aNy evIdences of hiddeN PeriL, Bud once more broke out, voIcing SoME
susPIcIon thAt he had EViDENtlY bEeN haRbORiNg in hIs bRain.

"HugH, don't you thInk It'S mighty funny HOw This old briDge Could get
afirE? SuPpose a ThResHIng maChiNe traCtion eNGine coUld have paSsED
over hERe latelY; BUt, Then, It's too early in the sEAsON for anything
liKe that To BE gOINg aRouNd. If a man on A wAgon tHRew a burNInG MATch
ASide after lighTing his pipe, WOulD it staRt ThiNGs to buRning? soMEhoW
I just can't bElieVe this is aN accidENt at all."

"oH! do you rEally mEan You SuspECt It Was DoNE _on PUrPosE_, PerHaps to
keEp Us From cRossING THis dEep RiveR, and mAking us miss coNneCtioNS
wiTh the Camp?" aSked blAke, apParentLy thrIlLed with the thougHt.

"I'm Certain of It," aSsErtEd hugh, pOSitiveLy. "I'Ll tEll you wHy. Just
bENd yOuR HEAdS closer here, and take A wHIFf Where thiS rail hAS bEeN
Only a litTlE chArreD; WHat doEs it SMeLl like?"

"WhY, Hugh, iT MaKeS me thinK oF home, wHeN thE giRl is sTArtiNg our oIl
stove gOing!"

"THAt's a fact," added BUD, gritting his tEEtH FErOCiouSly, "And
somebody'S gonE And sAturATeD boTH sideS of thIs BRiDGe with kerosene,
so as tO gIve the Fire a Good send-off. Oh! The low-down WRETch, what
wOuldN'T I GIve to have a chanCe to cHoke him."

"Try IT again ovEr herE, and you gEt the same ODOr," Hugh obSerVed,
ImpResSIVeLy; "yes, and right THEre yOu Can see wHerE some of The StuFf
sPilLeD, for the spOt looks gReAsY. HE mUst Have hAD a can of kErOseNe
AloNg witH Him in hIs car For jUsT sUCh a Purpose AS tHIS."

EacH bOy In tuRn dRoPped oN his HAndS and kneEs, the bettEr tO Take A
"sNiFf" at the Discolored spoT oN the floor bOaRds Of the bRIDge that
hAd such a "close call." As they oNCe more rEgaIned tHeir Feet they
nOddEd theiR heADs, unanImous iN theiR oPinION as to THE oRigIn Of that
greaSY MarK.

"WhicH sHows That our Good luck still hauntS Our Footsteps," BlakE saId,
trYINg To
 walked along, carefully s canning bo th si des  of  t he b ridg e for
any evid e nces  of hidden peril, Budoncemo r e br o ke  out,  voicin g  s o m e
s us pi cio nt ha t hehad  eviden tly been h arb or ing in his b r ai n.

"Hugh,  do n't you thin k i t's mi gh tyf unnyhow  this  old b r idge c ould getaf i re? Su p pose at h re shin g machine tractio n  e n gine could hav e pass ed ov e r  he relately; bu t,  then ,  it's t o oe a r lyi n the seasonfor anythin g 
li ke tha ttob e goin g aro un d . I f a man ona wa gon threw  a bur n ing mat c h
aside  after  li ght ingh is  p ipe ,w oul d  i t s t art  thingsto  b urnin g? S o m e h ow
I  ju st c an'tbelieve thisisan a c cid ent a t all ."
"O h! do  you r eally  m ean you suspect  itwas done_on  p urp os e_, p e rhapstokee p us fr om cros s ing  t h i s  d eep river, and mak in g us  miss co nnecti o ns 
w i th the c am p?"  ask e d  Blak e, a p pa rently t hrille d  w it h the t ho ught.
" I'm  ce rtain of i t," as serted H ugh,p ositively. "I' l l tell you wh y .J u st bend  yo ur heads cl oser here , an d  t ake a whi ff wh er e  t h is rail has been
on ly  a lit tle c harred; whatdoes it sm e l l  like?"
"Wh y ,H ugh, it makesme th ink of hom e , when t he gi rl is st arting ou r oil
stov e g oin g!" 

" T h at 's a fact," a d d ed B ud , gritt ing  his te eth  fe roc iou sl y, "and
s omebody' sgo ne  a ndsatur a ted both  s ide softhisb ridgewithkero se ne , 
so  as tog iv e thefi re  a g ood  s end-o ff.O h!the low -down wre tch ,  wha two uldn'tI give to hav ea chance t ocho ke him . " 

"Try i t again over here, andy ou getthe  same  odo r," Hughobs erved, 
im p ressiv ely; " yes,an d r i g ht th e r eyou  c an see whe r e  so me of  t he s tuff
sp illed, for the spo t  lo oks greasy. H e m usth a ve  ha d  a can  o f  ke r o sene
along with  him in hi sc ar  for justs uch  a  purpos e as th is."Each bo y in turn  droppedon  his h and s and knee s, the b etter tot ake a "s niff"  at  the d is col oredspot o n  th e flo or boa rd s of t he br id ge thathad such a "close call. " As t hey o nce  more reg ain e d t heir feet  the y
nodded t hei r h eads,  un a nimou s in th eir opini on a s  to the o r ig ino f  t hat
greasym a r k.
"Whi chs hows t hatour good luck sti l l haunts our f oots t e ps, " B l akesa id,
trying to
 walked_along, carefully_scanning both sides of_the bridge_for
any_evidences of_hidden_peril, Bud once_more broke out,_voicing some
suspicion that he_had evidently been_harboring_in his brain.

"Hugh, don't you think it's mighty funny how this old bridge could_get
afire?_Suppose a_threshing_machine_traction engine could have passed
over_here lately; but, then, it's_too early_in the season for anything
like that to be_going_around. If a_man on a wagon threw a burning match
aside after_lighting his pipe, would it start_things to burning?_Somehow
I_just_can't believe this is_an accident at all."

"Oh! do you_really mean you suspect it was_done _on purpose_, perhaps to
keep us from_crossing this deep river, and making_us miss connections
with the camp?"_asked Blake,_apparently thrilled with the thought.

"I'm_certain of it,"_asserted Hugh,_positively. "I'll tell_you why. Just
bend your heads closer_here, and take_a whiff where this rail has_been
only_a little charred;_what_does_it smell_like?"

"Why, Hugh, it_makes_me think_of_home, when the girl is starting_our_oil
stove going!"

"That's a fact," added Bud, gritting_his teeth ferociously, "and
somebody's_gone_and saturated both sides_of this bridge with kerosene,
so_as to give the fire a_good send-off._Oh! the_low-down wretch, what
wouldn't I give to have a chance to choke_him."

"Try it again over here, and_you get the same_odor," Hugh_observed,
impressively;_"yes, and right_there_you can_see where some of the stuff
spilled, for_the spot_looks greasy. He must have had_a can of kerosene
along_with_him in his car for just_such a purpose as this."

Each boy_in turn dropped on his_hands_and_knees, the better to take_a
"sniff" at the discolored spot on_the floor boards_of the bridge that
had such a "close_call."_As they once more regained their_feet_they
nodded their heads, unanimous in their_opinion_as_to the origin of that
greasy_mark.

"Which shows that our good luck_still haunts our footsteps," Blake said,
trying to