But he gave only half-heed to it.

His main attention was centered on that winding wagon-track whence the car and the truck had vanished into the lowlands.

And, through the solemnly spent hours he lay forlornly watching it.
But, after sunset, the smoke became too pervasive to be ignored longer.
It was not only stinging his throat and lungs, but it was making his eyes smart.

And it had cut off the view of all save the nearer mountain-peaks.
Lad got to his feet; whining softly, under his breath.

Ancestral instinct was fairly shouting to his brain that here was terrible peril.
He strained at his thick rope; and looked imploringly down the wagon-road.
The wind had swelled into something like a gale.