The Wreck of the Red Bird: A Story of the Carolina Coast

by George Cary Eggleston

  Produced by David Edwards, Mary Meehan and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from images generously made availableby The Internet Archive)

  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_

  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, buthe was my tenderly loved companion, and was in no small degree thecreator of this story. He gave it the title it bears; he discussed withme every incident in it; and every page was written with reference tohis wishes and his pleasure. There is not a paragraph here which doesnot hold for me some reminder of the noblest, manliest, most unselfishboy I have ever known. Ah, woe is me! He who was my companion is my deardead boy now, and I am sure that I only act for him as he would wish, ininscribing the story that was so peculiarly his to the boy whom he lovedbest, and who loved him as a brother might have done. It is in memory ofGUILFORD that I dedicate "The Wreck of the Red Bird" to CHARLES PELTONHUTCHINS.

  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.

  THE "BONES" OF THE RED BIRD _Frontispiece._

  "LOOK OUT! HOLD THAT FELLOW AWAY FROM YOU!" 23

  THE ELOQUENT LANGUAGE OF GESTURE 128

  "GIVE HIM A VOLLEY AND THEN CHARGE!" 150

  THE END OF CHARLEY'S ADVENTURE 190

  "HI! MAUM SALLY" 214

  The Wreck of the Red Bird