Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 42

Marketing Management 4th Edition

Winer Test Bank


Go to download the full and correct content document:
https://testbankfan.com/product/marketing-management-4th-edition-winer-test-bank/
More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant
download maybe you interests ...

Marketing Management 4th Edition Winer Solutions Manual

https://testbankfan.com/product/marketing-management-4th-edition-
winer-solutions-manual/

Marketing 4th Edition Grewal Test Bank

https://testbankfan.com/product/marketing-4th-edition-grewal-
test-bank/

M Marketing 4th Edition Grewal Test Bank

https://testbankfan.com/product/m-marketing-4th-edition-grewal-
test-bank/

Marketing Canadian 4th Edition Grewal Test Bank

https://testbankfan.com/product/marketing-canadian-4th-edition-
grewal-test-bank/
Marketing Management 5th Edition Iacobucci Test Bank

https://testbankfan.com/product/marketing-management-5th-edition-
iacobucci-test-bank/

Marketing Management 1st Edition Iacobucci Test Bank

https://testbankfan.com/product/marketing-management-1st-edition-
iacobucci-test-bank/

MARKETING MANAGEMENT 9th Edition Peter Test Bank

https://testbankfan.com/product/marketing-management-9th-edition-
peter-test-bank/

Marketing Management 13th Edition Kotler Test Bank

https://testbankfan.com/product/marketing-management-13th-
edition-kotler-test-bank/

Marketing Management 11th Edition Peter Test Bank

https://testbankfan.com/product/marketing-management-11th-
edition-peter-test-bank/
Marketing Management, 4e (Winer/Dhar)
Chapter 7 Product Decisions

1) The huge success of Heinz Ketchup's plastic squeeze bottles is an example of differentiation
on the basis of:
A) product features.
B) product quality.
C) packaging.
D) product design.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 179

2) When a company dramatically changes its product's packaging, most likely, it's main objective
is to:
A) reduce costs.
B) differentiate its products from its competitors.
C) increase the production output.
D) increase shelf presence.
Answer: B
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 179

3) Company names which are brands and have meaning to customers are known as:
A) corporate parent brands.
B) corporate brands.
C) sub-brands.
D) co-brands.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 179

4) In cases where the individual brand name is associated with the corporate brand name, it is
known as:
A) ingredient brands.
B) corporate parent brands.
C) distinct product brands.
D) co-brands.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 179

5) ________ are also known as "umbrella" brands.


A) Sub-brands
B) Distinct product brands
C) Corporate parent brands
D) Ingredient brands
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 179
1
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
6) If a company is using "branded house" strategy, it will introduce:
A) co-brands.
B) corporate parent brands.
C) ingredient brands.
D) distinct product brands.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 179

7) Often, individual brand names are separate and distinct from the corporate brand. For
example, Crest is not marketed with the Proctor & Gamble name. These brands are known as:
A) distinct product brands.
B) umbrella brands.
C) ingredient brands.
D) co-brands.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

8) HP LaserJet series is an example of:


A) corporate parent brand.
B) ingredient brand.
C) co-brand.
D) distinct product brand.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

9) When a company uses "house of brands" strategy, the brands introduced by the company are
known as:
A) co-brands.
B) corporate parent brands.
C) ingredient brands.
D) distinct product brands.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

10) Often, two independent companies will cooperate to have both brands highlighted in a
product. These are known as:
A) corporate parent brands.
B) distinct product brands.
C) brand extensions.
D) co-brands.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

2
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
11) When a company uses "house of brands" strategy, the brands introduced by the company are
known as:
A) co-brands.
B) corporate parent brands.
C) ingredient brands.
D) distinct product brands.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

12) Ingredient branding is a special case of:


A) co-branding.
B) sub-branding.
C) umbrella branding.
D) distinct product branding.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

13) The strongest measure of a brand's value is:


A) brand awareness.
B) perceived quality.
C) brand associations.
D) brand loyalty.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

14) Which of the following is a component of brand equity?


A) product cost
B) profit margin
C) perceived quality
D) sales volume
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 181

15) Patents and trademarks are valuable to products and services dimensions. Which dimension
of brand equity do they fall under?
A) brand associations
B) other brand assets
C) perceived quality
D) brand awareness
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 181

3
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
16) Brand loyalty is a component of:
A) brand equity.
B) brand awareness.
C) perceived quality.
D) brand associations .
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 181

17) Which of the following is essential to building a strong brand?


A) Increase the sales volume of the products falling under the brand.
B) Assign responsibility for brand development activities.
C) Reduce the production cost of the products falling under the brand.
D) Increase the profit margin for the products falling under the brand.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 183

18) The main variable that determines the extent to which brand equity can be transferred to the
extension is called:
A) association.
B) adaptability.
C) match.
D) fit.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 184

19) Which of the following is one of the main considerations for the fit of an extension to the
parent brand category?
A) transferability of the associations
B) the simplicity of the logo
C) the extent to which people are aware of the brand
D) the amount of money invested in brand building
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 184

20) Which of the following is most likely to be the reason due to which the Logitech brand
transferred well from mice to trackballs?
A) simplicity of the product
B) transferability of the symbol
C) transferability of the associations
D) high level of brand awareness
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 184

4
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
21) With reference to global marketing, identify the example that best explains the term
"consumer convergence."
A) Population growth rates have stabilized and the population over age 65 is increasing.
B) The increasing numbers of women working outside the home has led to more nontraditional
meals and increased need for convenience.
C) Aging populations, falling birth rates, and increased female employment are common in
industrialized countries.
D) Upscale consumers in Paris have more in common with their counterparts in New York than
with many other French people.
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 186

22) With reference to global marketing, identify the example that best explains the term "cultural
convergence."
A) Teenagers in Tokyo, London, and San Francisco dress and talk similarly and buy the same
kinds of products.
B) Population growth rates have stabilized and the population over age 65 is increasing.
C) Aging populations, falling birth rates, and increased female employment are common in
industrialized countries.
D) The increasing numbers of women working outside the home has led to more nontraditional
meals and increased need for convenience.
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 186

23) Which of the following is one of the objections to global marketing perspective?
A) It increases the cost of the product.
B) It is difficult to implement.
C) It reduces profit margin of the product.
D) It requires systematic analysis of customers in each market.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 186

24) Which of the following describes how a local firm could defend its local market against a
global company?
A) It should reduce its price and begin competing on price differentiation.
B) It should emphasize its home country or ethnic origin.
C) It should increase advertising expenditures and continue with the same message as before.
D) It should increase its research and development expenditure and enhance its product.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 187

5
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
25) A study has identified four different segments of consumers that exist with respect to their
attitudes towards global brands. Identify the largest segment.
A) global dreamers
B) global citizens
C) antiglobals
D) global agnostics
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 187

26) Identify the consumer segment that are highly interested in global brands and are less
concerned about the companies' social responsibility.
A) global dreamers
B) global citizens
C) antiglobals
D) global agnostics
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 187

27) Identify the consumer segment who judge all products by the same criteria and do not give
the global dimension any additional weight beyond other characteristics.
A) global dreamers
B) global citizens
C) antiglobals
D) global agnostics
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 187

28) Identify the smallest consumer segment.


A) global dreamers
B) global citizens
C) antiglobals
D) global agnostics
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 187

29) For global brand ranking purposes, Interbrand has defined global brands as brands selling at
least ________ outside of their home country.
A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 20%
D) 50%
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 187

6
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
30) Which of the following statements is true regarding the mature stage of high-tech products?
A) customer knowledge is low
B) perceived brand differences are small
C) marketing tactics are promotion oriented
D) marketing tactics are not given priority
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 188

31) In high-technology companies, there is an inordinate focus on the technology and product
features rather than the customer and the benefits sought because:
A) products sell better with focus on technology than with focus on customers.
B) high-technology companies are usually founded and run by engineers.
C) these companies invest huge amounts in innovation and have the ability to create entire
product classes.
D) they believe that customers are not aware of the technological innovations that they are
capable of.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 189

32) A company is typically considered as a(n) ________ when it uses a supplier's component in
its own finished product.
A) broker
B) distributor
C) original equipment manufacturer
D) value-added seller
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 189

33) Which of the following examples best describe co-branding in high-tech markets?
A) the "Human Network" campaign by Cisco system
B) the "Intel Inside" promotion
C) SAP sponsoring Grand Prix Formula One racing
D) the "iPod people" campaign by Apple Inc.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 189

34) Identify one of the dimensions of brand personality.


A) competitiveness
B) playfulness
C) conservativeness
D) ruggedness
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 191

7
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
35) Well-known, heavily supported brands made and distributed by large, often global
companies are known as:
A) generics.
B) value brands.
C) private labels.
D) national brands.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 192

36) Coke and Sony are well-known, heavily supported, and distributed by global companies.
They are examples of:
A) national brands.
B) value brands.
C) private labels.
D) generic brands.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 192

37) Which of the following brands is most likely to carry a retailer's chain name?
A) generics
B) value brands
C) private labels
D) national brands
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 193

38) Which of the following types of brands carries no name at all?


A) generics
B) value brands
C) private labels
D) national brands
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 193

39) Which of the following types of brands are also known as store brands?
A) generics
B) value brands
C) private labels
D) national brands
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 193

8
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
40) Which of the following statements is true regarding a private label brand?
A) It is sometimes called as an exclusive brand.
B) It is usually the low-priced option in the category.
C) Stores often make lower margins on private-label brands.
D) Retail stores devote huge marketing funds to support private labels.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 193

41) Which of the following is one of the two largest markets for private-label grocery items
outside the United States?
A) South Africa
B) Brazil
C) China
D) Australia
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 193

42) Some companies manufacture and sell both their own brand as well as a private-label brand.
What is the greatest risk to the company by pursuing this strategy?
A) lack of cost control
B) cannibalizing its own brand
C) poor capacity utilization
D) competition with a leading brand
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 193

43) ________ is one of the two approaches to measuring brand equity and these represent how
customers have actually responded to the brand.
A) Response measures
B) Intermediate measures
C) Psychological measures
D) Behavioral measures
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 194

44) Which of the following approaches to measuring brand equity are measures of how the brand
is represented psychologically in the minds of the customers?
A) response measures
B) intermediate measures
C) psychological measures
D) behavioral measures
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 194

9
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
45) According to the Brand Asset Valuator (BAV) model, which of the following is one of the
key dimensions of brand equity?
A) sophistication
B) excitement
C) competence
D) differentiation
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 195

46) A perceptual map that contains both brand spatial locations as well as consumer perceptions
of their ideal brand is known as:
A) joint space.
B) multidimensional scaling.
C) biplots.
D) markov chain.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 195

47) Identify the approach that develops perceptual maps based only on customer-based
judgments of brand similarity.
A) cluster analysis
B) preference regression
C) multidimensional scaling
D) canonical correlation
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 195

48) Which of the following is a good example of brand repositioning?


A) increasing the market share by reducing the price of the product
B) adding a health claim to orange juice
C) adding additional features to a product
D) increasing distribution
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 197

49) When companies reposition their products and themselves as "green," they are trying to
indicate that:
A) they are socially and environmentally conscious.
B) their products are of best quality.
C) they provide the best "value" for money.
D) their products are for upper class customers.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 198

10
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
50) Greenwashing refers to:
A) making false claims regarding the product quality.
B) introducing environmental friendly products.
C) misleading consumers about a product's environmental benefits.
D) competing in the market on the basis of price alone.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 198

51) Which of the following statements is true regarding the early stages of the product life cycle?
A) competition is generic
B) there are several competitors
C) products are positioned against a particular competitor
D) positioning decisions focus more on differentiating benefits and features
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 198

52) Which of the following best describes the strategy where product variants are developed to
appeal to different segments of the market or to satisfy customers' needs for variety?
A) production line strategy
B) product line strategy
C) customer line strategy
D) competitor line strategy
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 199

53) When the elements of a product line appeal to different segments of the market with different
characteristics, a ________ approach can be used for analyzing such a product line.
A) portfolio
B) market segment
C) market share
D) market growth
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 200

54) According to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix, when the market growth of a
product is low but the relative market share is high, it is known as a:
A) cash cow.
B) dog.
C) star.
D) problem child.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 201

11
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
55) According to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix, when both market growth and the
relative market share of a product is low, it is known as a:
A) cash cow.
B) dog.
C) star.
D) problem child.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 201

56) According to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix, when the market growth of a
product is high but the relative market share is low, it is known as a:
A) cash cow.
B) dog.
C) star.
D) problem child.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 201

57) According to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix, when both market growth and
relative market share of a product is high, it is known as a:
A) cash cow.
B) dog.
C) star.
D) problem child.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 201

58) Products falling under one category of the BCG matrix are most likely to be eliminated.
Identify this category.
A) cash cows
B) dogs
C) stars
D) problem children
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 201

59) In the BCG matrix, identify the category of products that are net users of cash because they
need money to make product improvements to compete in the lucrative, high-growth segment.
A) cash cows
B) dogs
C) stars
D) problem children
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 201

12
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
60) Which of the following products need cash to maintain their market leadership position but
they are also generating some because of the high margins they can maintain?
A) cash cows
B) dogs
C) stars
D) problem children
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 202

61) ________ refers to a process whereby a company takes a product or service that is widely
marketed and perhaps offered in many different configurations and develops a system for
customizing it to each customer's specifications.
A) Greenwashing
B) Cannibalization
C) Customerization
D) Cloning
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 202

62) Mass customization is also known as:


A) one-to-one marketing.
B) stealth marketing.
C) event marketing.
D) guerilla marketing.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 202

63) Identify the approach to mass customization where customizers talk to customers to help
determine their needs, identify the exact product meeting those needs, and then make the
customized product for them.
A) collaborative customizers
B) adaptive customizers
C) cosmetic customizers
D) transparent customizers
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 203

64) ________ offer one standard but a customizable product that is designed so users can alter it
to their own specifications.
A) Collaborative customizers
B) Adaptive customizers
C) Cosmetic customizers
D) Transparent customizers
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 203

13
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
65) ________ present a standard product differently to each customer.
A) Collaborative customizers
B) Adaptive customizers
C) Cosmetic customizers
D) Transparent customizers
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 203

66) ________ provide each customer with unique products or services without telling them that
the products have been customized for them.
A) Collaborative customizers
B) Adaptive customizers
C) Cosmetic customizers
D) Transparent customizers
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 203

67) Every time you visit a Web site, information about you is collected by that and can be
ultimately used to target specific messages. Some of this information is collected by what is
called a:
A) javascript.
B) cache.
C) cookie.
D) html.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 203

68) ________ takes place when the sales for a new element of a product line are not entirely new
rather it is taken away from an existing element of the line.
A) Greenwashing
B) Cannibalization
C) Customerization
D) Cloning
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 204

69) Brand names separate from the corporate brand are known as corporate parent brands.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 176

70) Brands increase information search costs.


Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 179

14
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
71) Brands provide expectations of quality, risk reduction, and prestige.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 179

72) Ingredient branding is a special case of corporate parent branding.


Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

73) When two independent companies cooperate to have both brands highlighted in a product it
is known as corporate parent branding.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

74) When the corporate brand is carried with individual product names it is known as co-
branding.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

75) Patents and trademarks are considered as brand assets.


Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 181

76) High awareness among the target audience is only a necessary but not a sufficient condition
for high equity.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 182

77) Marketing managers can fully control their brands.


Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 183

78) As high-tech products proliferated, branding became an important segment of their


marketing strategy.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 183

79) A key issue with brand extensions is whether the new product with the successful brand
name can potentially harm the "parent" brand if the extension is a flop.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 184

80) Differences between nations are often less than differences within nations.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 186

15
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
81) The concept of global marketing is similar to market or customer orientation.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 186

82) Global marketing is based on a systematic analysis of customer behavior in each market.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 186

83) Consumers which fall under the global agnostics segment rely on the global success of a
company to signal its product quality and innovativeness.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 187

84) As high-tech products mature, the marketing strategies employed are very different from
those for other products in the mature or decline stage of the life cycle.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 188

85) Research has found that, similar to human relationships, people find comfort and satisfaction
with brands to which they are loyal.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 192

86) Retail stores often make lower margins on private-label brands because of their lower prices.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 193

87) Product positioning is an activity that takes the value proposition and puts it to work in the
marketplace by planting the competitive advantage in the minds of customers.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 195

88) Multidimensional scaling is a perceptual map that contains both brand spatial locations as
well as consumer perceptions of their ideal brand.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 195

89) The notion of developing different product features for different segments is particularly
appealing for manufactured products.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 199

16
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
90) At the maturity of the product life cycle, competition is generic and the job of the marketing
manager is to convince potential customers that the new product satisfies their needs better than
an existing substitute.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 198

91) When sales for a new element of the line are not entirely incremental and come from an
existing element of the line, it is known as cannibalization.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 200

92) Too many cash cows means considerable revenue generation but no future.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 202

93) Too many products in the upper quadrants implies significant cash flow requirements that are
not being met.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 202

94) Cosmetic customizers provide each customer with unique products or services without
telling them that the products have been customized for them.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 203

95) A group of closely related products offered by a company is called the product line.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 204

96) Packaging can be an important differentiator.


Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 204

97) Discuss briefly why customers value brands.


Answer:
a. Expectations of quality
b. Risk reduction
c. Prestige
d. Reduced information search costs
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 179

17
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
98) Define brand equity and list the assets and liabilities underlying brand value.
Answer: Brand equity is a set of assets (and liabilities) linked to a brand's name and symbol that
adds to (or subtracts from) the value provided by a product or service to a firm or that firm's
customers.
The assets and liabilities underlying brand value fall into following five categories:
a. Brand loyalty
b. Brand awareness
c. Perceived quality
d. Brand associations
e. Other brand assets
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 180

99) Discuss how you would build strong brands over time.
Answer:
a. Create brand identity
b. Be consistent over time
c. Track the equity
d. Assign responsibility for brand development activities
e. Invest in brands
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 183

100) List the main considerations for the "fit" of a brand extension to the parent brand category.
Answer:
a. Transferability of the associations
b. Complementarity of the product
c. Similarity of the users
d. Transferability of the symbol
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 184

101) In the early 1980s Theodore Levitt, seeing dramatic improvements in telecommunications,
was the first person to call for a truly global approach to marketing. The first company to pick up
his ideas was London-based Saatchi & Saatchi, an advertising agency. Discuss S&S's rationale
for global marketing.
Answer:
a. Consumer convergence
b. Demographic convergence
c. Decline of the nuclear family
d. The changing role of women
e. Static populations
f. Higher living standards
g. Cultural convergence
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 186

18
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Rambler
Club's house-boat
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the
laws of the country where you are located before using this
eBook.

Title: The Rambler Club's house-boat

Author: W. Crispin Sheppard

Release date: January 20, 2024 [eBook #72766]

Language: English

Original publication: Philadelphia: Penn Publishing Company,


1912

Credits: Carla Foust, David Edwards and the Online Distributed


Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file
was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE


RAMBLER CLUB'S HOUSE-BOAT ***
THE VOYAGE WAS BEGUN
The Rambler Club’s House-boat
BY W. CRISPIN SHEPPARD
AUTHOR OF

“THE RAMBLER CLUB AFLOAT”


“THE RAMBLER CLUB’S WINTER CAMP”
“THE RAMBLER CLUB IN THE MOUNTAINS”
“THE RAMBLER CLUB ON CIRCLE T RANCH”
“THE RAMBLER CLUB AMONG THE LUMBERJACKS”
“THE RAMBLER CLUB’S GOLD MINE”
“THE RAMBLER CLUB’S AEROPLANE”

Illustrated by the Author

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY


PHILADELPHIA
MCMXII
COPYRIGHT
1912 BY
THE PENN
PUBLISHING
COMPANY
The Rambler Club’s House-boat
Introduction
The earlier adventures of Bob Somers and his friends have been
described in “The Rambler Club Afloat,” “The Rambler Club’s Winter
Camp,” “The Rambler Club in the Mountains,” “The Rambler Club on
Circle T Ranch,” “The Rambler Club Among the Lumberjacks,” “The
Rambler Club’s Gold Mine,” and “The Rambler Club’s Aeroplane.”
“The Rambler Club’s House-boat” deals with the adventures on the
Hudson of the Rambler boys and Jack Lyons and his friends.
They have an exciting and enjoyable time on the historic river, and
begin to appreciate its varied beauty and charm.
When the “Gray Gull,” Jack Lyons, Master, is close to Yonkers Bob
Somers is the means of aiding a young man in distress. Formerly he
had been the tutor of a boy residing at Nyack; but, for a reason
which reflects no discredit upon him, he lost his position.
A friendship springs up all around. The lads on the house-boat meet
the Nyack boy, who is enthusiastic over the idea of such a trip, and
decides to join.
Misunderstandings arise, and for a while the trip of the “Gray Gull”
promises to be the means of causing much trouble. But events so
shape themselves that in the end right prevails, and his chance
meeting with the boys turns out to be a fortunate thing for the former
tutor.
W. Crispin Sheppard.
Contents
I.The “Gray Gull” 9
II.The Engine 30
III.“All Aboard!” 46
IV.A Voice in the Night 70
V.An Exploring Trip 91
VI. Joe in Trouble 105
VII.The Battle for the Boat 116
VIII.A Collision 130
IX. The Millionaire Boy 140
X.In the Automobile 155
XI. George Goes Along 166
XII.Pierre Catches Up 181
XIII.Colonel Ellison Takes a Hand 188
XIV.“That Chaffer Fellow” 196
XV.The Colonel Speaks His Mind 212
XVI.The War-Call 228
XVII.In the Red Car 240
XVIII.The Colonel is Angry 257
XIX.George is Wanted 266
XX.Two Nights 275
XXI.A Midnight Tow 286
XXII.The Push-Ball Contest 295
XXIII.Good News for Redfern 308
XXIV. The End of the Cruise 318
Illustrations
PAGE

The Voyage Was Begun Frontispiece


“I Wish I Were Going With You” 82
“His Eyes Snapped Fiercely” 163
“Hang On Tight, Sir” 220
“See Who’s Coming” 302
The Rambler Club’s House-boat
CHAPTER I
THE “GRAY GULL”
“Well, Bob Somers, I certainly am glad you came on to New York
with your father. Dad has been talking so much about you Rambler
chaps lately that I’ve been simply wild to meet the crowd.”
“And three of us are here for your inspection, Jack Lyons,” laughed
Bob. “Dave Brandon”—his hand fell on the shoulder of a stout, good-
humored-looking boy standing by his side—“is our poet, artist and
historian; and this is Tommy, or, perhaps, I’d better say, Mr. Thomas
Clifton.”
A very tall, thin boy flushed as Jack Lyons eyed him quizzically and
then heartily shook his extended hand.
“If titles go by the length of people I think you’d better add Esquire,
too,” gurgled Jack.
“For a long time Tommy was the smallest member of our crowd,”
explained Dave Brandon; “then, suddenly——”
“Nothing could keep him down,” supplemented Bob, with a smile.
“And I don’t wonder, after the way you boys have been living out in
the open,” said Jack. “But what’s the use of our standing here in the
hallway when there are comfortable chairs in my den up-stairs?”
“And I do feel most uncommonly tired,” confessed Dave, stifling a
yawn, “for, honestly, I didn’t sleep a minute more than twelve hours
last night.”
Jack laughed heartily as he led the way into the drawing-room.
Mr. John Lyons, his father, a widely-known New York lawyer and
promoter, resided in a fine mansion on Fifty-seventh Street.
Externally, there was nothing about the house to distinguish it in any
way from the rest of a long brown-stone row, but the interior was
famed for the wealth and beauty of its appointments.
“Thought you might like to take a look in here, fellows,” remarked
Jack. “Dad goes in a lot for painting and statuary. Some of these
things he picked up while abroad. Everything free for this day only.
Step around and see the animals.”
“It’s simply stunning!” cried Bob.
The furnishings were nearly all of the Louis XV period. A beam of
sunlight coming in through a half-opened window caressed in its
course original chairs and a couch which had once adorned an old
French chateau. Rare tapestries hung on the walls, while carved
chests and objects of copper and brass revealed their presence by
rich, glowing touches of color.
Many pictures by old and modern masters immediately attracted
Dave Brandon’s attention.
“Aren’t they wonderful?” he sighed.
“You’ve painted some pictures just as wonderful,” said Tommy.
“That’s the trouble,” laughed Dave, “wonderful—but in a different
way. Your father and Mr. Somers seemed to find a lot to talk about,
Jack.”
A hum of steady conversation was coming from an adjoining room
which Mr. Lyons used as a study.
“That reminds me,” said Jack; “you chaps will have to unbosom
yourselves at once. Gold mines, aeroplanes and all sorts of hunting
experiences seem to have been in your line. Come right up to my
den.”
The room on the top floor which Jack called his very own was about
twelve by sixteen feet, and furnished with several chairs, a desk and
table. Gridiron heroes and baseball idols looked at the beholder from
their cardboard prisons—Jack had them tacked up all over the walls,
while a fishing pole and old-fashioned musket decorated one corner.
The den did not appear extraordinarily neat; several coats, a pile of
books, and a box of note-paper with its contents scattered in glorious
confusion over the desk might have offended a fastidious taste. But
Jack airily explained that a very important matter had prevented him
from tidying up.
“And I’ll tell you all about it, fellows,” he said, animatedly, when his
visitors had seated themselves. “We—and by that I mean Joe
Preston, Aleck Hunt, Fred Winter and myself—have the dandiest
scheme. What is it?—Well, I want to hear your story first. Dad has
been telling me how you found the ‘Rambler Club’s Gold Mine’—he’s
a stockholder in the company, you know.”
“Yes; and just as soon as father said he intended to go East to see
Mr. Lyons on business we made up our minds to keep him
company,” said Bob, with a smile.
“It means a whole lot of work for me,” sighed Dave.
“It’s this way,” a peculiarly gruff voice broke in—Tommy was
speaking—“Dave always writes a history of our trips. He has about
two thousand, one hundred and ninety-seven pages finished up to
date. So, of course, this New York trip——”
“Say, fellows!” Jack Lyons jumped up and began pacing the floor. An
idea which made his eyes sparkle brightly had suddenly entered his
head. “Say, why don’t you chaps stay here a couple of weeks?”
“Eh?” said Tommy.
“And then your historian would have something worth while to
scribble about.”
“How?” asked Dave.
“Well, honest, I can’t keep still about it a minute longer.” Jack Lyons’
voice indicated a spirit fairly bubbling over with enthusiasm. “Why,
we’ve got hold of a house-boat—a real h-o-u-s-e-b-o-a-t, mind you;
and——”
“Intend to take a trip somewhere?” asked Tommy, eagerly.
“Do we?—Well, I should rather say so! It’s all arranged, too. Rah—
rah! The ‘Gray Gull,’ Jack Lyons, master, is bound from New York to
Albany. Now”—Jack paused; his arm swept around in a half-circle
—“you chaps ought to, and, by ginger, must go along.”
“I felt it coming,” sighed Dave. “That means another book to write.”
“How about it?” queried Jack, eagerly. “Don’t say no. It’ll be one of
the greatest trips you ever had. Joe, Aleck and Fred are dandy
chaps. Say, can’t you go out with me this morning to see our house-
boat?”
“Well, r-a-t-h-e-r,” cried Tommy—“eh, Bob?”
Bob nodded.
“Sure thing. It will give us a good chance to see a bit of New York.
Where is the ‘Gray Gull,’ Jack?”
“Moored on the Harlem River. Hurray! I’ll call up Joe Preston just as
soon as you’ve told me a bit about yourselves. Now, somebody,
please fire away.”
The “somebody” happened to be Bob Somers, and, as he related
modestly the story of their many adventures, Jack Lyons’ eyes
opened wider with interest and enthusiasm.
“Great Scott; what corking times! Don’t I wish I’d been along. I must
tell Joe you’re here.” And Jack sprang to the side of his desk, where
the boys noticed a telephone.
“Talk about that for a great scheme,” remarked Tom.
“Talk through it for a greater,” returned Jack. “Hello, hello—yes, that’s
the number. Hello, Joe Preston! Not Joe! Well, won’t you please tell
him that Jack Lyons is at the ’phone?”
“He’s at home, fellows.” Jack looked up; then turned toward the
instrument again. “Hello, Joe! Say, old boy, the Rambler chaps are
here; honest—no joke about it. We’re going right out to see the ‘Gray
Gull.’ Can you meet us there? Good! Yes; maybe they’ll take the trip
with us. Wouldn’t that be jolly! You pick up Aleck and Fred. Race
you? Sure! Good-bye.”
“Fellows, you’ll meet the whole bunch,” laughed Jack, as he hung up
the receiver. “Now, I’ll explain how we happened to get hold of the
house-boat. A client of dad’s, who went out west, turned it over to
him in part payment for his services. If dad didn’t know what to do
with the ‘Gray Gull,’ I did; and the way Joe, Aleck and Fred jumped
at the chance to go on a cruise would have made you laugh.”
“How do you make it go?” asked Dave, languidly.
“Oh, I’m coming to that. A Mr. Marshall we know owned a motor
boat; and, last month, this boat motored right into a barge. That kind
of scared Mr. Marshall—he found he didn’t like the sport so much as
he thought he would; and what do you think?”
“Lots of things,” cried the interested Tommy; “go ahead.”
“When he heard about our house-boat he said we could have the
engine for it. Wasn’t that nice of him?”
The Ramblers agreed that it showed a thoughtful and proper spirit.
“That’s what I say,” exclaimed Jack, enthusiastically. “And he’s going
to have the motor sent right over, too.”
“Who will install it in the house-boat?” queried Bob.
“Jim Benton, a machinist who has done a lot of work for dad. But
come on, fellows; Joe thinks he can beat us out to the Harlem River.
And say, Bob, when you get a chance, ask your father about going
on that trip with us.” And Jack, happy and excited, fairly dashed out
of the room.
They were on the street in a few moments. It was a very hot morning
in August, with hardly a breath of air stirring.
“Fellows, I have a dreadful fear that I’m going to melt,” sighed Dave
Brandon, vigorously mopping his face.
“Do try to last until you see the house-boat,” urged Tom, with a broad
grin.
Seeking shade wherever it could be found, the four walked toward
the elevated railroad station at Eighth Avenue and Fifty-third Street.
The city, full of noise, life and color, possessed immense attractions
for the Ramblers, and Jack Lyons’ patience was sorely tried, as they
often stopped to look about them. When, at last, all had safely
boarded a train for One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Street he breathed a
sigh of heartfelt satisfaction.
“Dave, this is quite a change, after the plains and mountains of
Wyoming,” remarked Bob Somers.
The stout boy, gazing through half-closed eyes at the rows of
buildings and streets flashing by, nodded.
“Not much here to remind us of Lone Pine Ranch, Bob,” he said.
Station after station dropped behind them. At One Hundred and
Tenth Street the train swung around a great curve, with Morningside
Heights, crowned by the impressive, partly finished cathedral of St.
John the Divine, to their left, while on the right they had a good view
of the upper end of Central Park.
“Isn’t it stunning!” cried Bob.
“And to think that we’re actually in New York,” murmured Tommy.
“One Hundred and Twenty-fifth!” called out the conductor, a few
minutes later.
The boys caught a glimpse of a wide, busy thoroughfare. Then the
train sent the rails spinning swiftly behind it again, and the terminus
of the line was soon reached.
The four, mounting a stairway, found themselves on a great iron
viaduct sloping downward toward the east.
“What dandy views!” cried Dave Brandon, whose languid mood
seemed to drop suddenly away. “Magnificent! Eh, Bob?”
“Corking!” Bob’s voice was full of enthusiasm.
To the northwest rose a high bluff with houses on its summit, while
near at hand the boys could see the famous Polo grounds. Some
distance off, veiled in a scintillating haze, were other hills, with vague
suggestions of buildings dotted here and there over their surface.
Smoke from passing tugs on the Harlem River seemed to hover
almost motionless in the air, sometimes pierced by bursts of steam
which shone dazzlingly white in the sunlight.
But Jack Lyons was in no mood to appreciate the beauties of this
scene; he wanted not only to be the first to arrive at their meeting
place, but to show his interested visitors the “Gray Gull” without
delay. So he immediately began walking along the viaduct at a rate
which made them hustle.
“First time I’ve ever been in a walking match,” chuckled Tom. “How
far is it?”
“We’ll soon be there,” answered Jack, cheerily. “Joe Preston will
never win this race.”
In a few minutes they reached a bridge and began crossing the
Harlem River.
“There’s the famous High Bridge, fellows,” exclaimed Jack, pointing
to the north. “A dandy, eh? And the ‘Gray Gull’ is moored this side.”
“Good!” sighed Dave.
A noisily-puffing tug, towing a flotilla of empty barges, was
approaching, and, as a hoarse blast came over the silent air and was
answered by the whistle of another boat, the stout boy gave
unmistakable evidence of a desire to hold up the crowd for the
double purpose of rest and observation.
“Don’t stop, fellows,” pleaded Jack.
All laughed at Dave’s comical expression of dismay, and kept on
moving.
A wide roadway led down to the river, and this stretch Jack took at a
pace which taxed even the long-legged Clifton.
At intervals the New York boy cheerily exclaimed: “Not much further!”
or words to that effect, and just when Dave was beginning to have a
dreadful presentiment that this meant nearly all the way to the High
Bridge he varied the monotony by announcing: “Hooray! I knew we’d
beat ’em. There’s the house-boat, now.”

You might also like