The Cruise of the Sally D

A seaside tale follows a young boy who, after his mother's death, endures a harsh stepfather and finds refuge with an older lobster fisher and a friend he rescues. The boys learn lobstering, seamanship, and the business of running and freighting a small schooner, facing storms, rescues, and disputes with an antagonistic captain and unscrupulous shipowners. Practical descriptions of fishing, boatwork, and coastal commerce alternate with episodes of legal wrangling, conflicts of authority, and household-building as the informal family strives to establish a stable home and livelihood through ingenuity, loyalty, and hard work.