The Missing Chums · Character

Chet Morton

The Hardys' chubby, easygoing chum, whose appetite for fun and talent for comic complaint make him the heart of the gang's lighter moments.

supporting

Also known as Chet, Morton, Chet Morton whom he had awakened, The Chase Chet Morton

First appearance: The Three Strangers

See Chet Morton in The Three Strangers Book page

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Chet is the friend whose farmhouse the boys visit, whose sister Iola makes Joe stammer, and whose disappearance with Biff launches the whole search. Even chained in a cave, he snaps 'Find out!' at his captors, borrowing…

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See Chet Morton in The Three Strangers

Character Web

14 connections

A slice of how Chet Morton sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Family

Character groups

Core Family & Suspects
Protagonist
Supporting Friend Group

+9 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

This is the dramatic climax because it delivers the emotional peak of relief and triumph as Chet and Biff are…

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Relationships

Joe Hardy
friendship · positive
Frank Hardy
friendship · positive
Biff Hooper
friendship · positive
Jerry Gilroy
friendship · positive
Iola Morton
family · positive
Tony Prito
friendship · positive
Frank Hardy
friendship · positive
Joe Hardy
friendship · positive
Joe Hardy
friendship · positive
Biff Hooper
friendship · positive
Iola Morton
family · positive
Biff Hooper
friendship · positive

Joe Hardy
Close friends and frequent companions in adventures, with Chet often providing comic relief.
Frank Hardy
Good friends and allies, though Chet is slightly closer to Joe.
Biff Hooper
Friends and part of the Hardy Boys' circle of allies.
Jerry Gilroy
Friends and fellow members of the Hardy Boys' extended friend group.
Iola Morton
Brother and sister; Chet is protective of Iola.
Tony Prito
Friends and frequent companions in the Hardy Boys' circle.
Frank Hardy
Good friends and allies, though Chet is slightly closer to Joe.
Joe Hardy
Close friends and frequent companions in adventures, with Chet often providing comic relief.
Joe Hardy
Close friends and frequent companions in adventures, with Chet often providing comic relief.
Biff Hooper
Friends and part of the Hardy Boys' circle of allies.
Iola Morton
Brother and sister; Chet is protective of Iola.
Biff Hooper
Friends and part of the Hardy Boys' circle of allies.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Chet Morton in The Three Strangers

In the story

Chet Morton appears across 22 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Three Strangers
Chet is preparing for a week-long motorboat trip with Biff. He is good-natured and playful, but later yells at the men in the strange boat to keep their distance.
Quick Thinking
Plays a practical joke on Jerry Gilroy with a flat stick, then becomes the victim of retaliation.
A Shady Trio
Mentioned as the friend the boys planned to visit; later met on the shore road, dismisses the boys' concerns about the trio.
The Send-Off
Sets out on the motorboat trip with Biff, stowing provisions and joking with friends before departure.
V: No Word from the Chums
Chet is missing after sailing into the storm with Biff; he promised to send a postcard from Hawk Cove but no word has arrived.
Missing
Missing; no word received for three days, presumed lost.
The Strange Letter
Chet is presumed lost at sea after the storm; his disappearance is the focus of the search and the community's grief.
IX: Blacksnake Island
Mentioned as missing and possibly kidnapped in mistake for the Hardy boys.
The Boy on the Deck
Believed to be seen on the deck of the schooner Persis, possibly held prisoner.
The Island
Mentioned as the intended target of the search; Frank initially mistakes a cabin boy for Chet.
Into the Cave
Mentioned as one of the missing boys the Hardys are searching for on Blacksnake Island.
The Four Men
Mentioned as one of the prisoners being held by the gang.
The Storm
Mentioned as a likely prisoner in the cave, believed to have been kidnapped by mistake for the Hardy boys.
A Startling Announcement
Revealed as a captive in the cave, handcuffed and chained, insists he is not a Hardy boy.
The Alarm
Awakened by Frank, helps guide him to the padlock, and is freed from chains along with Biff.
Capture
Gets lost in the woods, circles back to the cave clearing, and is captured by a gangster.
Back to the Cave
Chet is chained with the others; he and Biff had been captured earlier and are now held for ransom.
XIX: Separated
Follows the Hardy boys out of the cave but becomes separated at a fork in the trail, taking the wrong path.
Seizing the Boats
Mentioned as still in hiding on Blacksnake Island, awaiting rescue.
At the Island
Chet and Biff realize they are lost and separated from the Hardy boys; they hide, fight off gangsters, and escape into a thicket.
The Chase
Nearly bitten by a snake, flees from gangsters, fights but is recaptured and tied up.
Home Again
Rescued from the cave and welcomed home as a hero.

Chapter companion notes

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See Chet Morton in The Three Strangers