g to his relief.

If he could only hold on for five minutes all might be well.

Below lay quite an abyss, and a fall was apt to bruise him very much,
even if he were fortunate enough not to have any bones broken. It was,
therefore, with considerable gratitude that he discovered he could dig
his toes into crevices in the rock, and thus hang on.

Jerry afterward declared that Frank presented all the appearance of a
fly plastered against a wall; but it might have been noticed that he was
the first one to reach the edge of the platform and breathe encouraging
words to his endangered chum.

Mr. Mabie knew what would be needed before he made the first movement.

"Bring your rope, Reddy!" he shouted, and the agile cowboy had obeyed.

This was quickly lowered until the noose dangled below Frank.

"Use one foot to draw it in, my boy. We want you to get both legs inside
the loop, and then gradually let us draw it up under your arms. It's all
right. We're going to have you out of that, so don't worry!" called the
ranchman.

"You can depend on it, Frank isn't frightened. If that bush threatens to
go, get a quick grip of the rope! Do you understand, Frank?" called
Jerry.

A quick nod of the head told that the one below realized he was as good
as drawn up already. One foot was cautiously withdrawn from its support
and the loop caught; then the second also passed inside the circle;
after which a tightening of the lariat brought it up to where Mr. Mabie
wanted to have it.

"Now here you come, my boy!" he called cheerily.

Frank let go his frenzied clutch, and swung into space; but willing
hands quickly drew him up until he stood with his chums.

"Did I get him?" was the first question he asked, at which the stockman
laughed heartily and patted him on the back.

"Spoken like a true sportsman, I declare! How about it, Reddy?" he said.

"There's his game, sir, lying just at the foot of that old slide. It was
as neat a shot as I ever saw," declared the young cowboy, pointing.

"Which is the truth, old fellow!" exclaimed Jerry, seizing Frank's hand
and wringing it warmly, without a touch of jealousy, even though his own
laurels as the admitted best shot of the club seemed in jeopardy.

"But what a pity we can't get it! I hate to think of killing game and
leaving it for the wolves," said Frank.

"Oh, that's soon remedied. Reddy will promise to land that sheep here
for you in double-quick order, eh?"

Reddy was already fa