A privileged adolescent falls overboard from a transatlantic liner and is taken aboard a fishing vessel, where removal from comfort forces him into hard, practical labor. The narrative follows his daily work on foggy, dangerous fishing grounds, the relentless routines and storms, and his changing relations with the seasoned crew. Through instruction, physical challenge, and shared hardship he learns seamanship, responsibility, and humility, gradually transforming from arrogant youth into a more competent, self-reliant young man by the time he returns to shore.