Produced by Robert Rowe, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. WAKULLA A STORY OF ADVENTURE IN FLORIDA BY KIRK MUNROE CONTENTS I. PREPARING TO LEAVE THE OLD HOME II. THE SCHOONER "NANCY BELL" III. "CAPTAIN LI'S" STORY IV. A WRECK ON THE FLORIDA REEF V. MARK AND RUTH ATTEND AN AUCTION VI. A QUEER CHRISTMAS DAY VII. ARRIVAL AT THE NEW HOME VIII. THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL AND MORE MYSTERIES IX. MARK DISCOVERS THE GHOST AND FINDS HIM IN A TRYING POSITION X. A RUNAWAY'S STORY, AND ITS HAPPY ENDING XI. "THE ELMER MILL AND FERRY COMPANY" XII. THE GREAT MILL PICNIC XIII. FIGHTING A FOREST FIRE XIV. HOW THE BOYS CAUGHT AN ALLIGATOR XV. A FIRE HUNT, AND MARK'S DISAPPEARANCE XVI. BURIED IN AN UNDERGROUND RIVER XVII. TWO LETTERS AND A JOURNEY XVIII. THE BURNING OF THE "WILDFIRE" XIX. UNCLE CHRISTOPHER'S "GREAT SCHEME" XX. EDNA MAY MARCH WAKULLA CHAPTER I. PREPARING TO LEAVE THE OLD HOME. Over and over again had Mark and Ruth Elmer read this paragraph, which appeared among the "Norton Items" of the weekly paper published in a neighboring town: "We are sorry to learn that our esteemed fellow-townsman, Mark Elmer, Esq., owing to delicate health, feels compelled to remove to a warmer climate. Having disposed of his property in this place, Mr. Elmer has purchased a plantation in Florida, upon which he will settle immediately. As his family accompany him to this new home in the Land of Flowers, the many school-friends and young playmates of his interesting children will miss them sadly." "I tell you what, Ruth," said Mark, after they had read this item for a dozen times or more, "we are somebodies after all, and don't you forget it. We own a plantation, we do, and have disposed of our PROPERTY in this place." As Mark looked from the horse-block on which he was sitting at the little weather-beaten house, nestling in the shadow of its glorious trees, which, with its tiny grass-plot in front, was all the property Mr. Elmer had ever owned, he flung up his hat in ecstasy at the idea of their being property owners, and tumbled over backward in trying to catch it as it fell. "What I like," said Ruth, who stood quietly beside him, "is the part about us being interesting children, and to think that the girls and boys at school will miss us." "Yes, and won't they open their eyes when we write them letters about the alligators, and the orange groves, and palm-trees, and bread-fruit, and monkeys, and Indians, and pirates? Whoop-e-e-e! what fun we are going to have!" "Bread-fruit, and monkeys, and pirates, and Indians in Florida! what are you thinking of, Mark Elmer?" "Well, I guess 'Osceola the Seminole' lived in Florida, and it's tropical, and pirates and monkeys are tropical too, ain't they?"