[Illustration: HE SNATCHED UP A BURNING BRAND AND SENT IT WHIZZING THROUGH THE AIR _Frank Allen at Gold Fork_ _Frontispiece_ (Page 121)] FRANK ALLEN AT GOLD FORK OR Locating the Lost Claim BY GRAHAM B. FORBES _Author of "Frank Allen and his Motor Boat," "Frank Allen at Rockspur Ranch," etc._ [Illustration] GARDEN CITY NEW YORK GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING CO., INC. 1926 THE FAMOUS FRANK ALLEN SERIES BY GRAHAM B. FORBES _See back of book for list of titles_ COPYRIGHT, 1926, BY GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. Frank Allen at Gold Fork MADE IN THE U.S.A. FRANK ALLEN AT GOLD FORK CHAPTER I AT THE HORSE CORRAL GATE "There he is again, Frank! The same queer chap we saw before!" "That's a dead certainty, Lanky. But lower your voice a bit or he might take the alarm and vamoose." "I sure wonder what he's prowling around Rockspur ranch-house for, and on a moonlight night, at that. But, Frank, it isn't our old enemy, Nash Yesson, is it?" cried Lanky Wallace explosively. "No. And I'm just as sure it isn't Lef Seller," came from Frank Allen, referring to the bully of Columbia, Frank's home town. The scene was the living room of Rockspur Ranch in the far West, where so many exciting things had already happened to Frank Allen and his chums, Lanky Wallace--whose folks owned the ranch--and Paul Bird. Paul was slumbering peacefully, totally unaware of what was taking place outside. "There! You can see him plainer now, Frank!" went on Lanky. "He seems to be a runt of a man, with a big head and bushy hair. An ugly customer, I'd say. Do you reckon he's mixed up with the Yesson crowd?" "Looks that way to me. See him wriggling along now, like a snake in the grass. He's up to some mischief, all right." "He's wearing a cowboy hat, you can see now, Frank; must belong over with that tough gang at the Double Z Ranch." "Whatever his game is, he'd better watch his eye or he'll find Lige Smith and his punchers hustling after him. Right now they're all radio hounds, and bunched inside the bunk-house, listening to jazz dance music." "Say, I wonder, Frank!" "What's struck you now, Lanky? Don't move, for that fellow's staring straight at this window! Gee, I'm glad our fire's died down! There! he's moving off again. What were you wondering about?" Lanky Wallace snickered, as though amused by his thoughts. "Why, don't you see, Frank? he's trying to find some way of getting hold of the map we grabbed, along with the gold nuggets when we watched Nash Yesson and Lef Seller dig up that rusty iron chest in the underground cellar." Frank Allen considered the suggestion seriously, waiting a full minute before replying. "Sounds reasonable, I must admit," he finally agreed. "We know that it was the crude map Josh Kinney left hidden there, that pair was so anxious to lay their hands on." "Sure! It contains valuable clues that would help a prospector locate the long-lost gold claim Josh worked years ago."