THE WRECK OF THE RED BIRD A STORY OF THE CAROLINA COAST BY GEORGE CARY EGGLESTON _Author of "The Big Brother," "Captain Sam," "The Signal Boys," etc., etc._ NEW YORK G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS 27 & 29 WEST 23D STREET 1882 COPYRIGHT BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS 1882 _Press of G. P. Putnam's Sons New York_ [Illustration: THE "BONES" OF THE RED BIRD] I intended to dedicate this book to my son, GUILFORD DUDLEY EGGLESTON, to whom it belonged in a peculiar sense. He was only nine years old, but he was my tenderly loved companion, and was in no small degree the creator of this story. He gave it the title it bears; he discussed with me every incident in it; and every page was written with reference to his wishes and his pleasure. There is not a paragraph here which does not hold for me some reminder of the noblest, manliest, most unselfish boy I have ever known. Ah, woe is me! He who was my companion is my dear dead boy now, and I am sure that I only act for him as he would wish, in inscribing the story that was so peculiarly his to the boy whom he loved best, and who loved him as a brother might have done. It is in memory of GUILFORD that I dedicate "The Wreck of the Red Bird" to CHARLES PELTON HUTCHINS. G. C. E. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. MAUM SALLY'S MANNERS 1 CHAPTER II. ON THE JOGGLING BOARDS 10 CHAPTER III. AFLOAT 15 CHAPTER IV. PLANS AND PREPARATIONS 28 CHAPTER V. THE SAILING OF THE "RED BIRD" 35 CHAPTER VI. ODD FISH 40 CHAPTER VII. AN ENEMY IN THE CAMP 52 CHAPTER VIII. THE BEGINNING AND END OF A VOYAGE 59 CHAPTER IX. THE SITUATION 68 CHAPTER X. PLANS AND DEVICES 79 CHAPTER XI. SOME OF NED'S SCIENCE 88 CHAPTER XII. JACK'S DISCOVERY 101 CHAPTER XIII. AN ANXIOUS NIGHT 109 CHAPTER XIV. IN THE GRAY OF THE MORNING 120 CHAPTER XV. CHARLEY BLACK'S ADVENTURES 125 CHAPTER XVI. ON GUARD 134 CHAPTER XVII. A NEW DANGER 147 CHAPTER XVIII. A CAMP-FACTORY 155 CHAPTER XIX. A NIGHT OF ADVENTURE 166 CHAPTER XX. A CALCULATION OF PROFIT AND LOSS 177 CHAPTER XXI. CHARLEY'S SECRET EXPEDITION 184 CHAPTER XXII. THE LAUNCH OF THE "APHRODITE" 193 CHAPTER XXIII. THE VOYAGE OF THE "APHRODITE" 201 CHAPTER XXIV. MAUM SALLY 212 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.