ng, with impatience, for him to fall.

He could not see the bottom of the chasm!

"It is sure death!"

Without knowing that he did so, he uttered the words aloud.

"Not ef I kin hold on a little longer, boy."

The giant had heard him and made reply, much to his surprise, for he had
seemed to forget that Blake was holding him from falling.

Then he marveled more than ever at the strength of the man, for it began
to seem that he had been suspended thus many hours. Surely Gabriel Blake
possessed supernatural prowess.

Something like a laugh came from the boy's lips.

"It is foolish to try to hold on longer," he said, a bit wildly. "Let
go, before you, too, are dragged over to death."

"Hyar, hyar!" called the man from above. "Don't git nutty, boy! I kin
hold yer some time yit."

Still Frank was sure it was all folly; it could only end in one way.

"I must fall at last!"

The giant heard these hoarsely muttered words, and he feared the boy
would let go.

And now Bart Hodge and the two men had become aware of Frank's peril,
and they were spurring their horses madly forward, having reached the
top of the climb.

The giant saw them coming, and it gave him new strength.

"Hold fast, down thar, youngster!" Big Gabe shouted to Frank. "Thar's
help comin' hot-foot an' hustlin'. We'll hev yer out uv thar in two
shakes, brand me deep ef we don't!"

Still, Frank did not dare to hope. Once or twice it seemed that the
horse, wild-eyed and snorting with terror, slipped a bit, and the boy
fancied Gabe was losing his grip.

It was a fearful strain on the giant, but he held fast as if his own
life depended on it. The cords stood out on his neck and forehead, and
perspiration rolled down his face. He could hear his own heart thumping
like a hammer in his breast.

The sheriff, Sile Jones and Bart Hodge came tearing up to the spot,
flung their horses back with a surge at the bit, and leaped to the
ground.

In a moment Jones had leaped to the side of Big Gabe and obtained a hold
on the tail of the horse, relieving the giant a bit.

A lariat dangled from the sheriff's saddle, and this he had freed before
he brought his horse to a halt. With it in his hand, he sprang to the
ground and leaped toward the brink of the chasm, on which Bart was
already kneeling.

"Hang on, old boy!" breathed the dark-haired lad. "The horse will not
fall now. You are all right. We will have you out of that in a moment."

Frank looked up and