The White Squall, by John Conroy Hutcheson
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Tom is a thirteen year-old whose father is a Naval Officer on
the half-pay list. This dates the events, for Tom has read two
of Captain Marryatt's books, which were published in the 1830s,
while his father would have been recalled to duty in time for
the Crimean War, so we'll put the date down as the 1840s.
The action starts in the West Indies, where Tom's father has
bought a property. Tom has an accident on his way to meet his
father on the way from a short visit to another island. Tom is to
be sent to an English school, and on his recovery he is taken
down to the harbour, and put in charge of a ship's Captain.
The journey back to England has every misadventure that can be
thought of, including a White Squall, which we would probably
today call a Line Squall. The vessel is capsized. How do they
recover it?
Eventually they arrive in England. And that is the end of the
story, which really is an introduction to ships for young
persons of about thirteen years of age.
It isn't too long, and you'll enjoy it.
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