



Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed
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                             Captain Chub




[Illustration: The boys entertain Mr. Ewing]




                             Captain Chub

                                  By
                          Ralph Henry Barbour

      Author of “The Crimson Sweater,” “Tom, Dick, and Harriet,”
                        “Harry’s Island,” etc.


                          With Illustrations
                            By C. M. Relyea


                            [Illustration]


                               New York
                            The Century Co.
                                 1909




                       Copyright, 1908, 1909, by
                            THE CENTURY CO.


                      _Published September, 1909_


                           J. F. TAPLEY CO.




                              TO J. P. M.

                       WITH THE AUTHOR’S REGARDS
                            AND BEST WISHES




CONTENTS


 CHAPTER                                 PAGE
      I. THE STOLEN RUN                     3
     II. LETTERS AND PLANS                 19
    III. AN INVITATION TO MISS EMERY       30
     IV. LEASING A HOUSE-BOAT              47
      V. A TRIP OF INSPECTION              61
     VI. THE JOLLY ROGER                   74
    VII. THE CRUISE BEGINS                 96
   VIII. DRIVEN TO COVER                  114
     IX. PRISONERS                        125
      X. A NEW ACQUAINTANCE               139
     XI. MR. EWING IS OUTWITTED           163
    XII. THE TABLES TURNED                167
   XIII. CHUB TRIES A NEW BAIT            180
    XIV. THE CREW ENTERS SOCIETY          198
     XV. HARRY GOES TO SEA                217
    XVI. UNDER THE AWNING                 234
   XVII. MRS. URIAH PEEL                  249
  XVIII. KEEPING STORE                    263
    XIX. A MIDNIGHT ALARM                 282
     XX. “GASOLINE AND SUPPLIES”          306
    XXI. THE BURGLARY                     323
   XXII. CLUES                            336
  XXIII. IN THE GIPSY CAMP                349
   XXIV. AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE APPEARS      362
    XXV. MR. EWING IS SUSPICIOUS          373
   XXVI. CHUB’S ADVENTURE                 382
  XXVII. GIFTS AND FAREWELLS              397




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


                                                                    PAGE
  The boys entertain Mr. Ewing                             _Frontispiece_
  Chub Eaton was lying in a cloud of dust                             15
  Writing the invitation to Harry                                     37
  In a great studio                                                   49
  Roy                                                                 59
  Chub descended at the Porter’s bag and baggage                      71
  The boys arrive at the wharf                                        83
  The “Jolly Roger” begins her cruise up the Hudson River             99
  Roy stared silently, with open mouth                               123
  Dick and Roy slumbering                                            153
  But Mister Trout didn’t want to come                               193
  They had dressed in their best clothes                             207
  The next moment they were all shaking hands                        223
  Before noon camp was made at the edge of the grove                 245
  She tied together the strings of a quaint little black bonnet      251
  The figure disappeared noiselessly into the night                  291
  “A little more of the hegg, ma’am?”                                299
  “I want the key of the store”                                      309
  The till was empty                                                 333
  Two men entered the tent                                           359
  “You stay where you are”                                           369
  They waved back to her and went on                                 405
  The doctor was called on for a speech                              409




CAPTAIN CHUB




CHAPTER I

THE STOLEN RUN


“That settles that,” groaned the captain of the Crimson nine as the
long fly settled gracefully into the hands of the Blue’s left-fielder.
The runner who, at the sound of bat meeting ball, had shot away from
second base, slowed his pace and dropped his head disconsolately as he
left the path to the plate and turned toward the bench.

“Come on, fellows,” said the captain cheerfully. “We’ve got to hold ’em
tight. Not a man sees first, Tom; don’t lose ’em.”

Pritchett, the Crimson pitcher, nodded silently as he drew on his glove
and walked across to the box. He didn’t mean to lose them. So far, at
the beginning of the ninth inning, it was anybody’s game. The score was
3 to 3