The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 156: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

154 THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. “T reckon ye’ve hit the nail on the head, Miss Esther,’’ observed Ryan, with the same dread calm- ness in voice and manner. Sycamore Dan was the next to speak. “Ts there no possible relief from our terrible posi- tion?”’ “Yes,’’ replied the scout. ‘“There is just one posstble chance.”’ “Why not take to the water?’? was Esther’s sug- gestion. “It ain’t the flames we need be afraid of,’’ re- sponded Ryan. ‘‘But inside twenty minnits thar’ll be a shower 0’ sparks round hyar thicker nor any rain-storm ye ever see. Them’s what we must look out for. An’ ez we can’t live with our heads under water, why thet would be a useless trick.” ‘‘What then is the only chance you speak of. How shall we conquer the flames?”’ “We must_fight fire with fire. Thet is our last show fer life.’’ “Well, then, let us be about it. How shall we be- oin?”’ ‘“Ye hev noticed, p’raps, thet fer a couple o’ hun- dred feet each side o’ this stream, the grass and bushes is so green thet they won’t burn. Wal, ye must go to t’other side o’ thet green strip, an’ tech off the ary stuff. It will burn to’rd them flames comin’, an’ meet ’em half way, so thet ther’ll be a clean Sean an’ yet we will be free from the result of it. See?’’ , “Yes, perfectly. ’’ . “Then be off. You, Dan, take the t’other shore, an’ I’ll tackle this one. Esther’ll please roost beet till we come back.”’ All the talk and cogitation had not consumed five a sis “comicboo ss)