CONCLUSION
It proved to be Minnie Cuthbert, although Frank had to rub his eyes
several times before he could prove to his doubting self they were not
playing him tricks.
With Minnie was no other than the ranch foreman, Lige Smith. Apparently
Lige was mighty well pleased because that shot of his had taken the
wind out of the sails of the persistent Nash Yesson, whom none of them
would, in all probability, ever run across again.
Minnie, after shaking hands with every one, Frank Allen first of all,
produced a letter that she had for Mr. Wallace.
"It came just as you thought it would, Mr. Wallace," she told him,
"and I coaxed Mrs. Wallace to let me come along with Lige, who's been
the finest kind of gentleman and guide. You see, I'd made up my mind I
wanted to see the Rocky Mountain country at close range; and when some
girls set out to accomplish a certain thing that is reasonable,--well,
there are many ways to get there."
Lanky was watching his father closely, anticipating the hearing of
important news.
"I reckon now, Dad," he finally broke out, "by the way you're smiling,
the thing's come out about as you wished. Did they select you instead
of Mr. Ambrose Gilman to be president of the bank when Mr. Carberry
retires next month?"
"So this letter informs me, son," replied the gentleman. "I left my
address at the bank, as a matter of course, for I'd heard rumors you
know, that either Gilman or I were in line for the place. Thank you a
dozen times, Minnie, and you too, Lige, for getting me the news with
the least possible delay."
Before attempting to transport all that gold to the place where it
could be loaded on the ponies, it was decided a reconnaissance should
be made.
Accordingly, Jerry, Zander Forbes and Lige Smith set off to scour the
country and learn if indeed their late enemies had passed down the
canyon and dropped out of the search for the gold in disgust.
This was found to be the case, as the three experienced punchers were
clever hands at discovering and reading signs that those less knowing
in woodcraft might have passed heedlessly by.
One piece of good luck fell their way. In some fashion--they never knew
how--two of the pack ponies belonging to the Nash Yesson outfit were
left behind. Possibly they had wandered away. At any rate, they were
found close to the corral. Some intuition apparently had caused them,
once loose, to go to the place where so many of their species were
gathered.
The addition of this pair made the problem of getting that heavy weight
of gold nuggets to faraway Rockspur Ranch a less knotty one.
It was no easy task to carry such burdens on their backs from the
outlet of the five-fingered cave to the deserted mining camp. By
resting at frequent intervals on the way amidst the wreckage caused by
the slide, they managed the work successfully.
Three days afterwards they started forth, descended the canyon, and
after putting the foothills behind, commenced the long ride toward home.
"We must keep a sharp lookout for signs of that ugly crowd," Mr.
Wallace suggested that night. "Somehow, I have an idea they may hang
around here for a week or two, in the hope of still surprising us and
taking this treasure away. I hope you'll post sentries each night,
Lige."
Lige, being foreman at the ranch and having come to join the party,
must from that time on be reckoned with as the leader of the
expedition. Nor was Zander Forbes in the least unwilling to have the
responsibility shifted to other shoulders.
Nothing happened that night, but on the following day while they were
resting in a patch of timber growing about a dry waterhole, they had
reason to believe they might be in for further trouble. Zander Forbes
sighted a clump of horsemen cantering along, whom he recognized as the
bunch they had outwitted.
"If they try for water here," Mr. Wallace remarked, as he too lay in
the scrub along the border of the cottonwoods and watched to ascertain
which way the wind would blow; "there's going to be a battle royal, and
somebody's likely to get badly hurt."
Fortunately the lawless crowd kept straight ahead.
"They still have Nash along," said Paul. "Anyway, some sort of bundle's
fastened on the back of their single pack-horse. But where can Lef
Seller be?"
"Oh, I'm not worrying about that hard case," chimed in Lanky. "He's the
slipperest fox I ever met, and you can trust him to know when he's got
enough kicking around."
"Do you think, Frank," continued Paul, "he could have started back for
his old home to eat humble pie and, with his mother to back him up, get
another chance to walk straight?"
Frank shook his head.
"You've got me on that, Paul. But he can't cause Lanky's folks any
further trouble, so let's forget Lef and his fortunes. Everybody,
'most, has said for years that he's bound to come to some bad end, and
I'm afraid that's a certainty."
Undisturbed by the reckless crowd, the treasure seekers made a detour,
and in due time reached Rockspur Ranch, where they received a riotous
welcome.
The nuggets were safely shipped to the nearest United States assay
office, and later on Mr. Wallace received a check for almost a
hundred-and-fifty thousand dollars to cover the value of Josh Kinney's
secret cache in the five-fingered cave near Gold Fork.
"I shall put five thousand dollars of this to each of your accounts in
the Columbia bank when we get home," he told the delighted Frank, Paul
and Lanky. "A like sum goes to be divided up among the boys connected
with Rockspur Ranch; for although only three of them participated in
the enterprise, every one here, even Gin Sing, would have been glad to
go."
No wonder that Mr. Wallace promised to be the most popular ranch-owner
in the whole State, and never did punchers work so like beavers to
please such a liberal and high-minded boss.
So the time came when they had to say good-bye to dear old Rockspur
Ranch, for all of them, including Minnie, had by then come to love the
free life of the open places beyond the ability of words to tell.
"I mean to come out West again some day," Frank said earnestly, as he
shook hands with Lige, Jerry, and the rest of the boys on the day of
their departure. Both Lanky and Paul echoed his words with all their
hearts.
Then came the ride to the station in the big car and the boarding
of the east-bound express. Whether Frank would be able to keep that
promise made to the Rockspur boys, the future alone will be able to
tell, but we shall meet him and his chums in the meantime in another
volume to follow this, called "Frank Allen and His Motor Boat; or,
Racing to Save a Life."
On the train, as they sped along, the young folks lived over again the
delightful times spent on the ranch. The thrilling adventures that
happened during their stay would never be forgotten.
To Frank Allen, however, the most wonderful event of all was that
arduous and dangerous long ride made by Minnie Cuthbert, when, with
only Lige Smith, the foreman, for company, she rode forth to carry that
letter to Mr. Wallace and see with her own eyes the lofty range of
mountains of which she had read and heard so much.
"You're sure a pal worth having, Min," he told her, as they sat and
reviewed all the events connected with that happening. And Minnie? Why,
she only laughed in her girlish way, smiled at Frank, and said loftily:
"Well, I hope by this time you three inseparable chums understand that
in these days a girl, given a fair chance, can do a heap of things
that once you believed to be impossible except for boys. But, just the
same," she added, with a sigh, "I'll be mighty glad to be back home and
have some decent clothes to wear."
THE END
The Movie Boys Series
_By_ VICTOR APPLETON
THE MOVIE BOYS ON CALL, or Filming the Perils of A Great City.
THE MOVIE BOYS IN THE WILD WEST, or Stirring Days Among the Cowboys
and Indians.
THE MOVIE BOYS AND THE WRECKERS, or Facing the Perils of the Deep.
THE MOVIE BOYS IN THE JUNGLE, or Lively Times Among the Wild Beasts.
THE MOVIE BOYS IN EARTHQUAKE LAND, or Filming Pictures and Strange
Perils.
THE MOVIE BOYS AND THE FLOOD, or Perilous Days on the Mighty
Mississippi.
THE MOVIE BOYS IN PERIL, or Strenuous Days Along the Panama Canal.
THE MOVIE BOYS UNDER THE SEA, or The Treasure of the Lost Ship.
THE MOVIE BOYS UNDER FIRE, or The Search for the Stolen Film.
THE MOVIE BOYS UNDER UNCLE SAM, or Taking Pictures for the Army.
THE MOVIE BOYS' FIRST SHOWHOUSE, or Fighting for a Foothold in
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THE MOVIE BOYS AT SEASIDE PARK, or The Rival Photo Houses of the
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THE MOVIE BOYS ON BROADWAY, or The Mystery of the Missing Cash Box.
THE MOVIE BOYS' OUTDOOR EXHIBITION, or the Film that Solved the
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THE MOVIE BOYS' NEW IDEA, or Getting the Best of Their Enemies.
THE MOVIE BOYS AT THE BIG FAIR, or The Greatest Film Ever Exhibited.
THE MOVIE BOYS' WAR SPECTACLE, or The Film that Won the Prize.
Garden City Publishing Co., _Inc._
Garden City New York
The Frank Allen Series
_By_ GRAHAM B. FORBES
FRANK ALLEN'S SCHOOLDAYS, or The All Around Rivals of Columbia High
FRANK ALLEN PLAYING TO WIN, or The Boys of Columbia High on the Ice
FRANK ALLEN IN WINTER SPORTS, or Columbia High on Skates and Iceboats
FRANK ALLEN AND HIS RIVALS, or The Boys of Columbia High in Track
Athletics
FRANK ALLEN--PITCHER, or The Boys of Columbia High on the Diamond
FRANK ALLEN--HEAD OF THE CREW, or The Boys of Columbia High on the
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FRANK ALLEN IN CAMP, or Columbia High and the School League Rivals
FRANK ALLEN AT ROCKSPUR RANCH, or The Old Cowboy's Secret
FRANK ALLEN AT GOLD FORK, or Locating the Lost Claim
FRANK ALLEN AND HIS MOTORBOAT, or Racing to Save a Life
FRANK ALLEN CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM, or The Boys of Columbia High on the
Gridiron
_Published Oct. 7, 1926_
FRANK ALLEN AT OLD MOOSE LAKE, or The Trail in the Snow
_Published Nov. 7, 1926_
Garden City Publishing Co., _Inc._
Garden City New York
The Dave Fearless Series
_By_ ROY ROCKWOOD
DAVE FEARLESS AFTER A SUNKEN TREASURE, or The Rival Ocean Divers
DAVE FEARLESS ON A FLOATING ISLAND, or The Cruise of the Treasure Ship
DAVE FEARLESS AND THE CAVE OF MYSTERY, or Adrift on the Pacific
DAVE FEARLESS AMONG THE ICEBERGS, or The Secret of the Eskimo Igloo
DAVE FEARLESS WRECKED AMONG SAVAGES, or The Captives of the Head
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DAVE FEARLESS ON VOLCANO ISLAND, or The Magic Cave of Blue Fire
DAVE FEARLESS CAPTURED BY APES, or In Gorilla Land
DAVE FEARLESS AND THE MUTINEERS, or Prisoners on the Ship of Death
DAVE FEARLESS UNDER THE OCEAN, or The Treasure of the Lost Submarine
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DAVE FEARLESS NEAR THE SOUTH POLE, or The Giant Whales of Snow Island
Garden City Publishing Co., _Inc._
Garden City New York
The New Western Series
Exciting, Thrilling Stories of the Old West
1. TEXAS MEN AND TEXAS CATTLE E.E. Harriman
2. THE SCOURGE OF THE LITTLE "C" J.E. Grinstead
3. THE LONE HAND TRACKER William W. Winter
4. WHEN DEATH RODE THE RANGE William W. Winter
5. RAW GOLD Clem Yore
6. DON QUICKSHOT LOOKING FOR TROUBLE Stephen Chalmers
7. THE LAST SHOT William MacLeod Raine
8. STRAIGHT SHOOTING W.C. Tuttle
9. SAD SONTAG PLAYS HIS HUNCH W.C. Tuttle
10. THE SENTENCE OF THE SIX GUN Anthony M. Rud
Published November 1, 1926
11. THE OUTLAWS OF FLOWER-POT CANYON Frank C. Robertson
Published December 1, 1926
12. THE CLEAN-UP ON DEAD MAN Frank C. Robertson
Published January 1, 1927
13. THE MASTER SQUATTER J.E. Grinstead
Published February 1, 1927
14. SIX GUN QUARANTINE E.E. Harriman
Published March 1, 1927
15. THE VALLEY OF SUSPICION J.U. Giesy
Published April 1, 1927
16. TREASURE TRAIL Robert Russell Strang
Published May 1, 1927
Garden City Publishing Co., _Inc._
Garden City New York
The Larry Dexter Series
_By_ RAYMOND SPERRY
LARRY DEXTER AT THE BIG FLOOD, or The Perils of a Reporter
LARRY DEXTER AND THE LAND SWINDLERS, or Queer Adventures in a Great
City
_Published Oct. 10, 1926_
LARRY DEXTER AND THE MISSING MILLIONAIRE, or The Great Search
_Published Nov. 10, 1926_
LARRY DEXTER AND THE BANK MYSTERY or Exciting Days in Wall Street
_Published Dec. 10, 1926_
LARRY DEXTER AND THE STOLEN BOY, or A Chase on the Great Lakes
_Published Jan. 10, 1927_
LARRY DEXTER AT THE BATTLE FRONT, or A War Correspondent's Double
Mission
_Published Feb. 10, 1927_
Garden City Publishing Co., _Inc._
Garden City New York