haunted all his life by the memory if he did so.

Quickly he caught M. Montfort up in his arms. He sprang to the side of
the steamer. The boat was holding in for him. His friends shouted to
him. The captain ordered him to jump at once.

"Catch this man!"

He lifted M. Montfort, swung him over the rail, and dropped him fairly
into the boat!

"He has chosen," said the captain. "The boat will hold no more. Pull
away!"

It was useless for Frank's friends to beg and plead. Away went the boat,
leaving the noble youth to his doom.

Forty minutes later there was a terrible flare of fire and smoke, a
thunderous explosion, and the ill-fated steamer had blown up.

Harry Rattleton was crying like a baby.

"Poor Frank!" he sobbed. "Noblest fellow in all the world--good-by! I'll
never see you again!"

Tears rolled down Bruce Browning's face, and Jack Diamond, grim and
speechless, looked as if the light of the world had gone out forever.

* * * * *

Some days later the passengers and crew from the lost "Eagle" were
landed at Liverpool by the steamer "Seneca," which had picked them up at
sea. The "Seneca" was a slow old craft, but she got there all right.

A little grimy tender carried Bruce, Jack, Harry and the tutor from the
"Seneca" to the floating dock. It was a sad and wretched-looking party.

On the dock stood a young man who shouted to them and waved his hand.

Jack Diamond started, gasped, clutched Browning and whispered:

"Look--look there, Bruce! Tell me if I am going crazy, or do you see
somebody who looks like--"

Harry Rattleton clutched the big fellow by the other side, spluttering:

"Am I doing gaffy--I mean going daffy? Look there! Who is that waving
his hand to us?"

"It's the ghost of Frank Merriwell, as true as there are such things as
ghosts!" muttered Browning.

But it was no ghost. It was Frank Merriwell in the flesh, alive and
well! He greeted them as they came off the tender. He caught them in his
arms, laughing, shouting, overjoyed. And they, realizing it really was
him, hugged him and wept like a lot of big-hearted, manly young men.

Frank explained in a few words. He told how, after they had left him,
he had belted himself well with life-preservers and left the "Eagle" in
time to get away before the explosion. Then he was picked up by an
Atlantic liner, which brought him to Liverpool in advance of his
friends.

Thus he was there to receive them, and it