This story of adventure is of the last days of the cargo sailing schooners that carried freight to all ports of the world. Captain Fickett's son, Ron is swept overboard, to drift ashore on the desolate Outer Banks of North Carolina. The ship is wrecked, later several miles below Cape Hatteras (The Graveyard of the Atlantic). The captain is murdered as he tries to get ashore.
Johnny Mapp, one of the many squatters, remnants of Sir Walter Raleigh's Lost Colony, sees the murder. He was worried of being implicated should an investigation begin. He uses the ship tool chest loot and his share of the lumber cargo to build a raft houseboat. He liked the simple way of life here on this barrier of ocean side sand with oak trees and myrtle bushes. Johnny, with his family leaves it all behind; they have adventure and learning to do as the raft moves south.
The young daughter is kidnapped by hard case rum runners from Cuba; to sell to the White Slave Market. She escapes her abusers, and adapts to the roll of a mute, "Tiar of the Street Kids". She does what is necessary to stay alive, hoping to get back to her family, somewhere along the waterway. Now the young girl is with child; she wants to go home and see her mother. She has acquired the carnal knowledge of a Havana Whore. Some good luck comes her way. She hears of a plot to kill an old sea dog for his small sailing yacht. She saves the old captain's life and he rewards her by sailing her home to her mother, to care for and raise the boy child.
Cissy becomes "Queen Tiar" of the Rum Runners. She returns to her mother at the "Pink Plantation" that she bought with her captor's money to live with her family. This is her story too.
Ron hears the truth of his father's murder from Johnny Mapp, he gets revenge and justice. The waves roll up and down the sand at the Outer Banks as it has done, and will do, forever more.