The girl did so, although her cheeks were wet with tears. For a long time the dying engineer lay still and listened.
“’Sh!” he whispered, now and then. “Somebody is singing. It is such sweet singing! Don’t make a noise, for she may stop.”
Finally he began to peer before him again. All at once he cried:
“It’s getting dark on the track! Light the headlight! We’re gaining—we’re gaining. Only ten minutes late! We—will—make it!”
His hands gripped and relaxed. With his left he reached out, as if feeling for the throttle.
“A little more does it,” he muttered, weakly. “There—that’s it. We’ll be—there—soon. It’s just—just—ahead. Ha! Here we are on time—on time, at last!”
The end of the trip was reached.
And so passed away the principal enemy that Frank Merriwell had. As for Frank himself, he had already won a place and respect on the railroad. He was in a position to help the blind girl and her crippled brother, and there was no one who could hinder him now. He was recognized already as one of the best firemen on the road, and eligible for promotion to the post of engineer at any time. He had taken the first step upward in the struggle through life, and the first step in this struggle is always the hardest one. After this, it would be plainer sailing, and although Frank Merriwell was destined to pass through many more adventures on the railroad, he had overcome the chief difficulties in the way of success, and made a good start. He had started at the foot of the ladder with his first job, but already he had surmounted the lowest rung and was in a fair way to climb, up and up, to ultimate success.
THE END.