"Av we can have wan minute more!" breathed Barney Mulloy.
"Half a minute will do," returned Frank.
"We refuse ter obey ye now," boldly spoke the man who had commanded his companions to stop. "Muriel has signaled ter us, an' he means fer us ter wait till he-uns arrives."
"Wait!" howled Miller. "They sha'n't escape!"
He snatched out a revolver, pointed it straight at Frank's breast, and fired!
Just as the desperate ruffian was pulling the trigger, the man nearest him struck up his hand, and the bullet passed through Frank's hat, knocking it to the ground.
Miller was furious as a maniac, but, at this moment, the black horse and the dashing rider burst in upon the scene, plunged straight through the circle, halting at the side of the imperiled lads, the horse being flung upon its haunches.
"Wal, what be you-uns doin'?" demands a clear, ringing voice. "What work is this, that I don't know erbout?"
The men were silent. Wade Miller cowered before the chief of the moonshiners, trying to hide the revolver.
Muriel's eyes, gleaming through the twin holes of the mask he wore, found Miller, and the clear voice cried: