Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON A HOUSEBOAT OR The Rivals of the Mississippi BY CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN AUTHOR OF “THE OUTDOOR CHUMS,” “THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE,” “THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FOREST,” ETC. The GOLDSMITH Publishing Co. NEW YORK N.Y. MADE IN USA COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY GROSSET & DUNLAP CONTENTS · CHAPTER I—GLORIOUS TIMES AHEAD · CHAPTER II—LAYING PLANS · CHAPTER III—BLUFF NAMES THE BOAT · CHAPTER IV—THE PERIL ON THE RIVER · CHAPTER V—THE FIRST NIGHT AFLOAT · CHAPTER VI—WHAT FRANK FOUND ON DECK · CHAPTER VII—ANOTHER CARELESS PILOT · CHAPTER VIII—FACE TO FACE AT LAST · CHAPTER IX—THE GAME OF BLUFF · CHAPTER X—A CALL FOR HELP · CHAPTER XI—A THREATENED COLLISION · CHAPTER XII—A RED GLOW IN THE SKY · CHAPTER XIII—AFTER THE STORM · CHAPTER XIV—THE RUNAWAY HOUSEBOAT · CHAPTER XV—ON BOARD THE POT LUCK AGAIN · CHAPTER XVI—THE UNWELCOME PASSENGER · CHAPTER XVII—THE FUGITIVES OF THE LEVEE · CHAPTER XVIII—WHAT JERRY’S STICK BROUGHT DOWN · CHAPTER XIX—A BOBCAT ON BOARD · CHAPTER XX—THE FLOATING TREE · CHAPTER XXI—THE NEW OWNER OF THE HOUSEBOAT · CHAPTER XXII—WHO WAS BOSS · CHAPTER XXIII—LEFT IN THE LURCH · CHAPTER XXIV—RIVALS NO LONGER. · CHAPTER XXV—THE FINISH OF THE VOYAGE CHAPTER I—GLORIOUS TIMES AHEAD “Own up, Will, you’ve got hold of some great news, and you’re just keeping it back to tease us! How about that, Bluff?” “You’re right, Frank, for I can see it in his face. His eyes are just dancing with a big secret. But wait up; here comes Jerry across the campus. Now he’ll just have to open the box, and show us.” The college boy, called Will by his comrades, and whose last name was Milton, laughed good-naturedly, and then nodded his head. “Why, fellows,” he said, “I saw Jerry coming, and meant to wait for him. When all four members of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club, who call themselves the Outdoor Chums, are present, I’ve got something to say that is going to set you all just wild.” At that the young chap who went by the name of Bluff made frantic gestures for a fourth lad, just then heading in their direction, to hurry along. Evidently this freshman must have suspected that something unusual was brewing, for he started on a run, and came up almost panting for breath. “What’s in the wind, fellows?” he demanded, glancing from one eager face to the others. “Don’t tell me you’ve made up your minds where the club is going to put in the vacation just ahead of us, because that would be too good news. Who’s going to take pity on me, and relieve my suspense?”