[Illustration: The panther was now within four or five feet of the boat. Page 196.] _CAPTAIN CHAP_ _OR_ _The Rolling Stones_ _BY_ _FRANK R. STOCKTON_ _Author of “Rudder Grange,” “A Jolly Fellowship,” etc._ _ILLUSTRATED BY CHARLES H. STEPHENS_ [Illustration] _PHILADELPHIA J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 1897_ Copyright, 1882, by JAMES ELVERSON. Copyright, 1896, by J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A. _CONTENTS_ CHAPTER PAGE I.--“THE BEST THING YOU EVER HEARD OF” 7 II.--A SEA VOYAGE 16 III.--“A CONTINENT BEFORE US” 27 IV.--WITH HOOK AND LINE 38 V.--CHAP’S ALLIGATOR 50 VI.--THE ROLLING STONE 65 VII.--THE TWO ORPHANS 73 VIII.--“CAPTAIN OF HIMSELF” 83 IX.--FRIENDS AND ENEMIES 92 X.--PHIL’S UNCLE AND CHAP’S SISTER 101 XI.--TWO EXPEDITIONS 111 XII.--CHAP LEADS THE INDIANS 119 XIII.--ADAM LEADS HIS PARTY 127 XIV.--CHAP’S AMBASSADOR 140 XV.--THE FORCES MEET 145 XVI.--MARY BROWN SENDS A MESSAGE 154 XVII.--THE CHANNEL-BASS 163 XVIII.--CHAP BOARDS THE MAGGIE 172 XIX.--WAITING FOR A VISITOR 182 XX.--THE VISITOR ARRIVES 190 XXI.--THE METROPOLIS OF THE INDIAN RIVER 197 XXII.--THE COLONEL 204 XXIII.--A NEW EXPEDITION PLANNED 211 XXIV.--COOT BREWER TAKES THE HELM 219 XXV.--AMONG THE ALLIGATORS 224 XXVI.--THE MAGGIE COMES TO TOWN 234 XXVII.--THE RACE THROUGH THE WOODS 243 XXVIII.--A PLOT AGAINST CHAP 251 XXIX.--HOW ADAM WAS BAGGED 259 XXX.--THE COUNTESS 267 XXXI.--A POINT OF HONOR 273 XXXII.--CHAP IS DOWN UPON ARISTOCRACY 282 XXXIII.--WHICH FINISHES THE STORY 289 _LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS_ PAGE The panther was now within four or five feet of the boat _Frontispiece._ The rescue 21 Adam tucking the other under his left arm 81 “Crouch down there, you varlets!” 177 “Don’t fire!” screamed Coot 226 “Now we’ll give it to him” 261 [Illustration] _CAPTAIN CHAP_