human
How do you think it started?
gpt
Huh! I reckon that's an easy one to answer, replied Step Hen, promptly.
human
Anybody c'n see at just a single look that the wind must have picked up a live coal from the fire, and carried it into a bunch of stuff to leeward. After that it was fanned, till it spread wider and wider. That was going on while Davy and me snoozed away like a pair of sillies. No use talking, boys, I'm ashamed of myself; and let me tell you, it'll be a long time before I ever go to sleep on duty again--not if I have to keep jabbing a pin into my leg every minute or so, to make me jump.
gpt
Does that explanation go, Thad?
human
Well, it looks that way, for the fire was actually to leeward of the camp when I first saw it,
gpt
But you ain't _quite_ satisfied, are you, Thad? he remarked, pointedly.
human
You just keep athinkin' that perhaps it _wasn't_ an accident after all? Am I right, now?
gpt
Wow! what does that kind of talk stand for? burst out Bumpus.
human
Are you hinting that it was all a part of a dark scheme to burn us out of camp?
gpt
Wait till Eli and Jim come back, Thad went on.
human
You've noticed that they're not with us right now. Fact is, they took the lantern, and went off about the time we were finishing our dressing. But before they went, Jim gave me to understand what they had some reason to suspect.
gpt
The work of big Cale Martin and his crowd? Is that what you're aiming to tell us, Thad?
human
Here they come!
gpt
Oh! my, I thought you meant the game poachers!