The Tides of Barnegat (1906) is a seashore romance by Francis Hopkinson Smith that deals with divorce and family problems. Set in a small fishing community in New Jersey, the story concerns two sisters, Jane and Lucy Cobden. Jane, the elder, pledged long before on her father's deathbed to look after Lucy. After returning from boarding school in Philadelphia, Lucy behaves offensively, but Jane sacrifices everything to protect her. The final scene involves a tragic shipwreck.

An American author, story-teller, illustrator, and engineer, Francis Hopkinson Smith (1838Ð1915) was the descendant of Francis Hopkinson, a signatory to the Declaration of Independence. The foundation of the Statue of Liberty is amongst his greatest achievements as an engineer. Earning fame as an illustrator and painter, he started his literary career in his fifties and published the famous series of Colonel Carter novels.