A young orphaned boy, destitute and repeatedly running away from an almshouse, is discovered freezing and taken in by a compassionate household. Through inquiries at the almshouse his background emerges: parents ruined by vice and drink, neglecting his upbringing and seeding moral corruption. The narrative traces his struggles with homelessness, his longing to go to sea, and efforts by benevolent adults to provide warmth, food, education, and religious instruction aimed at reforming his character and rescuing him from early vice. The work emphasizes moral instruction, the effects of family vice, and the potential for redemption through guidance and learning.