. His words were frank and
sincere, and bore the impress of truth. Evidently a sentiment was being
created favorable to the prisoners, and Bill Mosely saw it and
trembled.

"Let us go," he whispered to Hadley.

"If you wish to know whether I speak the truth," Ben concluded, "look in
the faces of those two men who have accused us."

The terror in the face of Bill Mosely was plainly to be seen. Suddenly
the minds of the fickle multitude veered round to the two accusers, and
shouts arose: "The boy's right! Hang the thieves!"

Then Bill Mosely did perhaps the most unwise thing possible. His courage
fairly broke down, and he started to run. Immediately a dozen men were
on his track. He was brought back, moaning and begging for mercy, but
the crowd was in no merciful mood. Victims they demanded, and when the
rope was brought the two wretched men were summarily suspended to the
branches of two neighboring trees.

They had fallen into the pit which they had prepared for others.

As for Ben, he became the hero of the hour. The miners raised him on
their shoulders and bore him aloft in triumph to the hotel from which he
had so recently been dragged to execution.

CHAPTER XVIII.

AFTER THE EXECUTION.

While Ben rejoiced and lifted silent thanks to God for his narrow escape
from a shameful death, he felt no satisfaction in the knowledge that the
men who had basely conspired against them had suffered the like terrible
fate. He averted his head in horror from the sight, and, innocent as he
was of fault, he felt depressed to think that his words had resulted in
bringing this punishment upon them.

I have said that he was the hero of the hour. Boys were scarce in
California, and the hearts of the miners warmed to him on account of his
youth and the memories it called up of their own children far away.

A self-appointed committee waited upon him and asked him to stay with
them.

"We'll all help you along," they said. "We will make your share equal
to that of the luckiest miner among us. You're true grit, and we respect
you for it. What do you say?"

"What shall I do, Jake?" he asked of Bradley.

"It's a fair offer, Ben. Perhaps you'd best stay. I'd stay too, only I
want to see Dick Dewey safe in 'Frisco. When he and his gal are j'ined
I'll come back and try my luck here."

"I will do the same, Jake. I want to go to San Francisco and see the
lady who was so kind to me. I sha'n't feel that I've done all my duty