THE CHILDHOOD OF BIB-NECK 



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OWN on the beach among the sand 

 dunes at Cape Lookout there is a 

 certain small stretch of desert 

 where the sun shines warm and the fierce gales which 

 sweep over the ocean never strike, except as in little eddies 

 they whisk around the dunes and blow the dry sand rat- 

 tling among the broken sea shells. There is no vegetation 

 except on the sheltered side of the sand hills where the 

 wild sea oats grow, and bend, and toss their heavy heads 

 before each breeze. Some distance over the dunes can be 

 seen the dun-colored roof of the life-saving station, stand- 

 ing well back from the ocean beach. Nearly two miles to 

 the north looms the Cape Lookout lighthouse, a black and 

 white signal pillar by day, a blaze of warning light by 

 night. 



On this small sandy desert one June morning a young 

 bird for the first time peeped out with its little round eyes. 



[23] 



