oys, leaned forward in
his saddle, and hissed in Frank's ear:

"It's my turn now!"

"And you mean to murder us?" demanded Frank, passionately.

"Not murder," answered the man. "We-uns is goin' ter put two revenues
out o' ther way, that's all!"

"It's murder," cried Frank, in a ringing tone. "You know we are not
revenue spies! Men, we appeal to you. We can prove that we are what we
claim to be--two boys who are tramping through the mountains for
pleasure. Will you kill us without giving us a chance to prove our
innocence?"

The leader laughed harshly.

"It's ther same ol' whine," he said. "Ther revenues alwus cry baby when
they're caught. You-uns can't fool us, an' we ain't got time ter waste
with ye. Git reddy, boys!"

About the boys' necks the fatal ropes were quickly adjusted.

"Stop!" Frank commanded. "If you murder us, you will find you have not
killed two friendless boys. We have friends--powerful friends--who will
follow this matter up--who will investigate it. You will be hunted down
and punished for the crime. You will not be allowed to escape!"

Again the leader laughed.

"Pore fool!" he sneered. "Do you-uns think ye're stronger an' more
po'erful than ther United States Gover'ment? Huah! Ther United States
loses her spies, an' she can't tell who disposed o' 'em. We won't be
worried by all yore friends."

He made another movement, and the rope ends were flung over a limb that
was strong enough to bear both lads.

Hope was dying within Frank Merriwell's breast. At last he had reached
the end of his adventurous life, which had been short and turbulent. He
must die here amid these wild mountains, which flung themselves up
against the moonlit sky, and the only friend to be with him at the end
was the faithful friend who must die at his side.

Frank's blood ran cold and sluggish in his veins. The spring night had
seemed warm and sweet, filled with the droning of insects; but now there
was a bitter chill in the air, and the white moonlight seemed to take on
a crimson tinge, as of blood.

The boy's nature rebelled against the thought of meeting death in such a
manner. It was spring-time amid the mountains; with him it was the
spring-time of life. He had enjoyed the beautiful world, and felt strong
and brave to face anything that might come; but this he had not reckoned
on, and it was something to cause the stoutest heart to shake.

Over the eastern mountains, craggy, wild, barren or pine-clad, the
g