This answer came upon Frank like a bucket of cold water. His fine plan
for releasing himself and capturing the robber would not work. The
latter saw his look of disappointment, and laughed derisively.

"I am too old," said he, "to allow a boy like you to play any tricks
upon me. You won't tell me where the key is, then?"

"No, I won't. If that money was mine, you might take it, and I would run
the risk of catching you before you could get very far away with it. But
it belongs to my uncle; you have no claim upon it, and, what's more, you
sha'n't touch it."

"Is that your final answer?" asked the Ranchero, bracing himself for a
strong pull. "You had better ponder the matter well before you decide.
What do you suppose your uncle will think, when he comes home and finds
you hanging to this hook? He had rather lose the money a thousand times
over than to part with you."

Frank shuddered as the Ranchero said this, and, for the first time, he
felt his firmness giving away. But he was possessed of no ordinary
degree of fortitude, and, after a momentary thrill of terror, his
courage returned, and he looked at Pierre as bravely as ever.

The Ranchero paused for a moment or two, to give his last words time to
have their full effect, and then said: "Once more--yes or no."

"No, I tell you," was the firm reply. Scarcely were the words out of his
mouth, when the Ranchero began to pull down upon the lasso, and Frank,
in spite of his desperate struggles, was drawn up until he almost swung