"misty" features the annual pony penning of feral horses from assateague island, a two-day round-up, swim, and auction that henry had been "sent to look at" by a hopeful editor. she created several "misty" sequels including two more children's novels illustrated by dennis, "sea star, orphan of chincoteague" (1949) and "stormy, misty's foal" (1963). the beneficiaries of "marguerite henry's legacy", as a "washington post" editorial termed local tourism, were the assateague nature preserve and chincoteague town. within her lifetime pony penning itself drew about 25,000 visitors and their number was 40 to 50,000 according to a local estimate ten years later.