CHAPTER XIX.

FRANK’S NARROW ESCAPE.

Frank Reade, Jr., had decided to go at once in quest of the abductors of Bessie Rodman.

He called Pomp and Barney aboard the Steam Man, and the start was made.

Of course they were not aware that Barrows had started out upon the same mission.

It was decided to proceed up the Death Gulch, for Frank fancied that the abductors had likely struck out over the mountain range.

The gulch could be traversed by the Steam Man easily, and Frank deemed it safer to travel that way.

Up the gulch the Steam Man went.

For some distance all went well, and no incident worthy of note occurred.

But finally a branch of the canyon was reached, and here a halt was called.

This extended to the southward.

Frank knew that the outlaws could not have crossed this without a wide detour.

The ground was high above the walls of the canyon, and the young Inventor decided upon a different move.

The Steam Man proceeded up this canyon for some ways.

Then Frank called a halt.

“We will stop here,” he said.

“Shure, Misther Frank,” cried Barney, “phwat iver do yez want to do that fer? It’s a clear course ahead.”

“I am well aware of that, Barney,” replied Frank, “but I am not sure that we are following the right course.”

“Indade, sor.”

“I mean to climb to the top of the canyon wall here and take a look off at the country.”

“Shure enough, sor!”

“Golly, Marse Frank, amn’t youse gwine to let dis chile go wif yo’?”

“Begorra, not a bit av it!” cried Barney. “Shure, yez may stay wid the Stheam Man, naygur.”

“Yo’ g’long, I’ish! I reckon Marse Frank take me dis time.”

Frank smiled and said:

“Yes, it is no more than fair, Pomp, for you to go this time. You will remain with the Man, Barney.”

Barney did not demur, for he knew that it would be of no use.

But he had been with Frank on excursions many times, and perhaps felt that it was no more than fair that Pomp should have this chance.

No time was lost.

Armed with rifles and revolvers, the two explorers left the Steam Man.

A good path up the canyon wall was selected, and after an arduous climb they finally reached the summit.

From here a mighty view of the country about was obtained.

As far as the eye could reach to the eastward was the level expanse of plain.

In the other direction mountain peaks rose above them to a great altitude.

Frank had a powerful glass, and with this proceeded to scrutinize the country below.

But he could see nothing of the cowboys, nor was he able to tell what direction Clark’s men had gone.

He descried at once what he believed to be smoke ascending from behind distant trees, and fancied that this might be from the guns of the military and the cowboys.

But of this he was not sufficiently positive to venture to go thither.

“Well, Pomp!” he said dubiously, as he closed the glass, “I don’t see that we can locate the abductors of Bessie Rodman from here I declare I am befogged.”

“Golly, Marse Frank,” cried Pomp, with dilated eyeballs, “what eber yo’ tink we bettah do now?”

“I declare I don’t know.”

“I’se done reckon dat de cowboys hab gone back to dat ranch ob dere’d wid dat lily gal.”

Frank gave a start.

It had not before occurred to him that the abductors might have taken their captive to Ranch V.

Indeed, so strongly did he become impressed with the possibility that he was half inclined to start at once for the ranch.

But sober second thought impelled him first to think of searching the hills.

If she could not be found in them then it would be time enough to think of paying Ranch V a visit.

An incident happened at the moment also that for a time prevented any move of the sort.

Pomp had begun to scale a small peak near.

“P’ra’ps I kin get a bettah look from up yere, Marse Frank!” cried the darky. “Jes’ de same, I tries it fo’ yo’.”

“All right, Pomp,” replied Frank. “Tell me if you see anything of importance and I will come up.”

“A’right, sah.”

Pomp went up the peak.

He reached the top and began to look over the country, when suddenly he beheld a thrilling scene below.

Frank had gone to the edge of the canyon to look over and see what the Steam Man was about.

As he leaned over the edge of the deep gorge he did not see a giant form suddenly glide from a crevice in the cliff behind him.

It was, in reality, an enormous black bear.

The brute had caught sight of Frank, and being in an ugly mood, started for him.

The bear advanced so quickly and noiselessly that Frank was all unaware of his presence until the brute was upon him.

Then a terrific blow from the bear’s paw sent him reeling over the edge of the cliff.

Over the edge went the young inventor, and a yell of horror and pain went up from Pomp’s lips.

“Golly sakes, Marse Frank, hab yo’ fallen down to yo’ death?” cried the affrighted darky, as he came tumbling down the peak like a madman.

Frank had certainly gone over the edge.

The bear stood upon the verge of the precipice growling savagely.

Pomp was in a frenzy of fear and horror. He could not see what was to prevent his beloved master from going down to his death.

He would have rushed to the spot where Frank had stood but the bear was there.

At this moment the stillness of the gorge was broken by the shrill whistle of the Steam Man.

This was enough for Pomp.

In a moment he raised his rifle and fired at the bear.

Ordinarily, he would have been compelled to fire many times, but as chance had it, this single shot proved fatal.

It struck the bear full in the eye and went crashing through his brain.

The big brute went over the edge of the precipice and crashing down into the gorge.

Pomp heard plainly the crash of the bear’s body as it struck the bottom of the pass.

Then he rushed to the edge and looked over.

He saw the bottom of the gorge plainly enough. There lay the inanimate form of the bear.

The Steam Man stood not twenty yards distant from this spot, and Pomp saw Barney far below, yelling and waving his hands.

The darky answered, and then caught sight of something which thrilled him.

Clinging to a jutting bit of rock in the canyon wall he saw Frank Reade, Jr., hanging between heaven and earth.

The astonished darky fell upon his stomach and leaned far over the edge of the gorge.

“Golly, Marse Frank!” he cried, excitedly, “I done fought yo’ was a-goner fo’ suah. Hab yo’ got a stronghold dar?”

“Pomp!” cried Frank, in sharp tones, “I am nearly exhausted. I fear I shall lose my hoid here soon!”

“Fo’ Hehben’s sake,” cried the affrighted darky, “don’ yo’ say dat, Marse Frank. If yo’ fell down to de cornah ob dat gorge yo’ would be killed fo’ suah. Yo’ jes’ wait an’ dis chile will help yo’.”

“You’ll have to hurry, Pomp!” cried Frank, in an exhausted manner.

“Yo’ kin jest bet I will.”

“Whurroo, there naygur!” cried Barney from below. “Wud yez be afther letting down a rope to Misther Frank. Quick, now, or yez won’t have the toime.”

Pomp acted quickly.

The darky carried constantly a lariat at his waste.

This he lowered over the edge and down to the point where Frank was hanging suspended between earth and sky.

Pomp had acted with great dispatch, but even as the rope went over the edge, a warning cry went up from Barney below.

“My God! I am falling!” cried Frank, with horror.

His hands were slipping over the edge of the jutting bit of rock to which he clung.

The next moment they released their grip entirely and down he went.

But, as good fortune had it, just below him was a stump growing out of the cliff.

Against this he fell and his clothing caught upon a jagged root.

It held him firmly, and there he hung safe and secure.

A cry of joy went up from Pomp and Barney.

“Jes’ yo’ hang right on, Marse Frank!” cried the darky, earnestly. “Don’ yo’ gib way at all, an’ dis chile he done pull you up a’right.”

“All right, Pomp,” cried Frank, regaining his coolness so habitual to him. “I think I am safe here.”

“Praise de Lor’ fo’ dat?” cried the elated darky. “Jes’ hol’ right on.”

Down went the lariat.

In a moment more it settled over Frank’s shoulders.

As Pomp drew on it, Frank made it secure under his arms.

Then the darky began to draw up on the rope. It required some exertion of strength, but in a few moments Frank cleared the edge.

But at this moment a loud shout came up from the gorge below.

It was Barney’s voice raised in a note of alarm.

“My soul!” cried Frank, excitedly. “What can have happened?”

Both rushed to the edge of the canyon and looked over.