E-text prepared by Joseph R. Hauser, Emmy, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 17151-h.htm or 17151-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/1/5/17151/17151-h/17151-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/1/5/17151/17151-h.zip) BOB CHESTER'S GRIT Or From Ranch to Riches by FRANK V. WEBSTER Author of "The Newsboy Partners," "Only a Farm Boy," "Bob the Castaway," Etc. Illustrated [Illustration: HE URGED FIREFLY TO GREATER SPEED _Bob Chester's Grit_ Page 190] New York Cupples & Leon Company Publishers * * * * * BOOKS FOR BOYS By FRANK V. WEBSTER 12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, 40 cents, postpaid ONLY A FARM BOY TOM, THE TELEPHONE BOY THE BOY FROM THE RANCH THE YOUNG TREASURE HUNTER BOB, THE CASTAWAY THE YOUNG FIREMEN OF LAKEVILLE THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS THE BOY PILOT OF THE LAKES TWO BOY GOLD MINERS JACK, THE RUNAWAY COMRADES OF THE SADDLE THE BOYS OF BELLWOOD SCHOOL THE HIGH SCHOOL RIVALS AIRSHIP ANDY BOB CHESTER'S GRIT BEN HARDY'S FLYING MACHINE DICK, THE BANK BOY DARRY, THE LIFE SAVER * * * * * Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York Copyright, 1911, by Cupples & Leon Company * * * * * BOB CHESTER'S GRIT CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I UNDER A CLOUD 1 II BOB FINDS AN UNEXPECTED CHAMPION 11 III FREE AGAIN 19 IV BOB DETERMINES TO BE HIS OWN MASTER 31 V BOB MISSES A FRIEND 40 VI A KIND-HEARTED WAITRESS 46 VII GOOD LUCK FROM BAD 57 VIII BOB'S LUCK CONTINUES 65 IX A TALE OF THE PLAINS 74 X BOB DOES A KIND ACT 83 XI BOB FAILS TO FIND MRS. CAMERON 93 XII ALONE IN A STRANGE CITY 100 XIII BOB STARTS AGAIN 108 XIV AT THE THROTTLE OF A FREIGHT ENGINE 116 XV BOB EARNS HIS PASSAGE 124 XVI FAIRFAX AT LAST 133 XVII SEEKING A JOB 143 XVIII ON THE TRACK 149 XIX AN AMAZING RECEPTION 155 XX BOB BECOMES OWNER OF A DOG 160 XXI AT THE RANCH 167 XXII ON THE RANGE STATION 173 XXIII BOB OVERHEARS A SECOND PLOT 179 XXIV A RACE FOR LIFE 189 XXV FROM RANCH TO RICHES 197 Bob Chester's Grit CHAPTER I UNDER A CLOUD "Hey, boy! What's your name?" "Bob Chester." "Where are you going with that basket of groceries?"