The Rival Crusoes, by W.H.G. Kingston
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Our hero is the sixteen-year-old Dick Hargrave, son of a farmer near
Keyhaven on the Hampshire coast. A good deal of smuggling went on in
that area, but the Hargraves, although turning a blind eye if their
barns were used by the smugglers for temporary storage, were not
involved. The local landlord had been a politician who had been
ennobled and who was now a marquis. One of his sons, Lord Reginald (for
Lord is the courtesy-title of younger sons of a marquis) was in the
Navy. Dick is press-ganged into the navy, and finds himself in the same
ship as Lord Reginald, who does all he can to make Dick's life a
misery. On one occasion Dick jumps ship and goes back home to visit his
family, but is recognised by Lord Reginald.
Before he can be punished there is an engagement with the French in
which Dick distinguishes himself, and the Captain agrees to dispense
with the flogging he should have received.
The ship is posted to the Far East station but is shipwrecked. Both
Dick and Lord Reginald survive the wreck and become "Crusoes", still
with a deadly rivalry. But Lord Reginald is an incompetent, and would
not have survived, had not Dick rescued him, and brought him back to
health. Lord Reginald apologises for his past behaviour. Eventually
they get back to England, and the story ends there.
In a preface Kingston explains that he has taken a much earlier novel
written by a young lady, and has rewritten it with as much improvement
as he can make.
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THE RIVAL CRUSOES, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON.