Chapter XXIV: 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 Fairlands.

THE MOVIE BOYS AT SEASIDE PARK, or The Rival Photo Houses of the Boardwalk.

THE MOVIE BOYS ON BROADWAY, or The Mystery of the Missing Cash Box.

THE MOVIE BOYS' OUTDOOR EXHIBITION, or the Film that Solved the Mystery.

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 River

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 Hunters

DAVE FEARLESS AND HIS BIG RAFT, or Alone on the Broad Pacific

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

DAVE FEARLESS IN THE BLACK JUNGLE, or Lost Among the Cannibals

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