Syd Belton; or, The Boy who would not go to Sea, by George Manville
Fenn.
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The book opens with a domestic scene with the boy Sydney having just
finished dinner with his father, a Captain in the navy, and his uncle,
an Admiral. They are discussing Syd's career, which the two old
gentlemen hope will be as a naval officer. Syd, however has other
ideas: he has been on his rounds with the local doctor, and thinks that
he might like to be a doctor, too. The time of the story is in the
middle of the eighteenth century, but the only real evidence of this is
the fact of people wearing cocked hats. Other than that the story might
fit a hundred years later, though there is a point late in the story
where the French are the enemy.
There is an episode in which Syd runs away from home, in company with
the son of his father's gardener, the latter having been his boatswain
in his naval days. On his return he realises that he does really want
to be a naval officer, too. His father tries to get him an appointment
as a midshipman with a captain he formerly served with, but was
rebuffed. He realises that the present First Sea Lord, the title of the
Admiral in command of the whole navy, is someone he used to serve with
in former days, so they go to see this eminent officer. The outcome is
that Syd's father is appointed to command the Sirius, and is invited to
take Syd with him as a midshipman.
From here on we have an excellent and well-told narrative, describing
Syd's early days in the Navy, and then an episode when he finds himself
in command of a naval party holding a rock in the Caribbean.
You'll enjoy this story, especially if you make an audiobook of it.
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SYD BELTON; OR, THE BOY WHO WOULD NOT GO TO SEA, BY GEORGE MANVILLE
FENN.