Results: 7574 books
Sort By:
NewTrending

Clicking red heels

Paul Ernst

"Clicking red heels by Paul Ernst" is a pulp horror short story written in the late 1930s. It follows a wealthy young man whose affair with a cobbler’s daughter turns deadly and whose guilt—or a curse—begins to stalk him in the form of phantom footsteps. The likely topic is the collision of calculated murder with supernatural retribution, blurring the line between psychological torment and an actual haunting. Eldon Gruin, fearing scandal from his obsessive lover Maria José, engineers her death by sending their car over a Palisades cliff while he clings to a tree branch. Publicly, it looks like an accident, but Maria’s father curses him to be forever accompanied by her presence. Eldon soon hears unseen steps—echoes of Maria’s red heels—matching his every move; traces of her appear in his room, and even others catch the faint clicking. Spiraling into terror and isolation, he returns to the cliff and finally rams his car through a new concrete barrier to his death. Afterward, investigators discover tiny sliding weights hidden in his shoe heels, suggesting a possible trick behind the sounds, yet the lingering signs of Maria and the uncanny precision of the footsteps keep the story’s haunting power disturbingly unresolved. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The letters of Hart Crane, 1916-1932

Hart Crane

"The letters of Hart Crane, 1916-1932" by Hart Crane is a collection of letters written in the mid-20th century. The volume, edited and framed by Brom Weber, assembles the poet’s correspondence to reveal his artistic formation, personal entanglements, and the lived background of major works like The Bridge. Expect a candid self-portrait of a modernist poet negotiating ambition, love, illness, and literary community. The opening of the collection presents Weber’s preface and chronology, positioning Crane as a major American poet and explaining why the letters matter: they are emotionally frank, often written across distance, and closely intertwined with periods of peak poetic productivity. Weber outlines an editorial approach of minimal interference and full candor (tempered only to avoid harming living individuals), argues against judging the poetry by the life, and sketches Crane’s recurring struggles with relationships, sexuality, alcohol, and self-sabotage. A concise life outline follows (Ohio youth; early New York immersion; advertising work; the conception, funding, and completion of The Bridge; travel; the Guggenheim; death at sea). The first letters (1916–1920) then show a young writer juggling exams, early publication, and a headlong entry into New York’s literary world (meeting figures like Padraic Colum and Vachel Lindsay), alongside money and housing woes, parental divorce tensions, and flirtations with Christian Science. They also trace his return to Ohio to work for his father, his deepening ties with fellow writers and editors, the drafting of “My Grandmother’s Love Letters,” sharp literary opinions, and a discreetly acknowledged love affair—establishing the tone of urgency, vulnerability, and craft that will carry through the correspondence. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Nature's year : The seasons of Cape Cod

John Hay

"Nature's year : The seasons of Cape Cod" by John Hay is a collection of nature essays written in the mid-20th century. Through month-by-month observations on Cape Cod, the work blends close natural history with reflective meditation on weather, wildlife, and the uneasy overlap between human bustle and the living shore. Expect vivid portraits of birds, insects, tides, and woods as the seasons turn, with themes of migration, adaptation, and attention. The opening of this work follows July through late October as the narrator arrives amid summer traffic and tragedy, then retreats to a hilltop home to attune himself to the Cape’s microclimates and small lives—from a wood peewee’s hunting and periwinkles on tidal rocks to a moon snail’s drill and an afternoon under sail. August dwells on insect abundance and night music (including the temperature-telling snowy tree cricket), a companionable walk with an oven bird, and a wind-swept visit to Crow Pasture where a crippled gull and vigilant terns frame lessons in necessity. Detailed scenes at Paine’s Creek and Monomoy show young terns learning to fish and gather for migration, alongside shorebirds busy on the flats, while September’s clear winds, alewife fry, and dispersing fledglings replace the departing tourists. October turns inward to questions of home and navigation, a venerable box turtle, first frosts, teaching children on a shore ramble, and the season’s colors—mushrooms, Indian pipes, and reddening oaks—before colder winds, squirrels, and shrews signal the harsher change ahead. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The long march

William Styron

"The long march" by William Styron is a novella written in the mid-20th century. It follows Marine reservists at a Carolina training base in the early 1950s after a deadly training accident, focusing on Lieutenant Culver, his embittered friend Captain Mannix, and their exacting commander, Colonel Templeton. The story probes fear, aging, and the pull of authority as a punishing overnight march becomes a test of bodies, loyalties, and pride. The opening follows Culver witnessing the graphic aftermath of two misfired mortar rounds that kill eight men and wound many more, then flashing back to his reluctant recall from a settled New York life to a disorienting camp routine. Through Culver’s eyes we meet Templeton—cool, theatrical, and devoutly Marine—and Mannix, a scarred veteran whose cynicism erupts in lectures, at the officers’ club, and in memories of past peril. Templeton orders a thirty-six-mile forced march to “shape up” the battalion; Mannix responds with fierce resolve to make his company finish, despite a nail in his boot and rising pain. The narrative tracks the start of the march: a brutal pace in sand, thirst, silence broken by Mannix’s bullying cadence, brief breathers on the roadside, and Culver’s mounting panic and fatigue. Mannix’s mood swings between grief (after viewing a boy’s shattered body) and harsh command as he goads his men and wrestles with his own wound. The section closes with the march underway, Mannix hurting, and Templeton hovering—calm, implacable—as the night’s ordeal deepens. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

On old Cape Cod

Ferdinand C. (Ferdinand Cole) Lane

"On old Cape Cod" by Ferdinand C. Lane is a collection of poetry written in the mid-20th century. It offers a lyrical portrait of Cape Cod’s shores, dunes, marshes, and maritime life, blending natural observation with local history and myth. The poems move between celebratory and elegiac tones as they honor coastal beauty, seafaring courage, and the tug of memory over a vanishing way of life. The opening of the work unfolds as a series of vivid vignettes: haunted shoals at Monomoy, the music of a seashell, seasonal winds, enchanted marshes, and the scents and flora of the Cape. It sketches landmarks and hazards—Nauset’s whistling buoy, Peaked Hill Bars, Race Point storms—alongside wildlife and plants, from sandpipers and wild geese to beach plums and goldenrod. Maritime lore permeates the scenes: old captains by the fire, flotsam meditations, an ancient logbook, an abandoned hulk, and tributes to Coast Guardsmen and a steadfast lighthouse keeper. Human portraits deepen the mood—a widow’s nightly vigil, a wharfside dreamer, and Easter rites on Chatham Bars—while reflective pieces weigh time’s passage, fog and midnight, the shaping tides, and lost places like Billingsgate and Hog’s Back Church. Together, these early poems establish a nostalgic, sea-battered, and myth-tinged meditation on nature, community, and mortality along the Cape. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The story of Keedon Bluffs

Charles Egbert Craddock

"The story of Keedon Bluffs" by Charles Egbert Craddock is a novel written in the late 19th century. Set in the Great Smoky Mountains, it explores mountain life shaped by Civil War aftershocks, local lore, and a looming mystery tied to the towering Keedon Bluffs. The story centers on young Ike Guyther, his blind artilleryman uncle Abner, the dubious drifter Jerry Binwell, and Jerry’s captivating little daughter Rosamond, as suspicion and old grievances collide with whispers of hidden treasure and haunted caves. The opening of the novel paints the bluffs and river in vivid detail, introduces the found cannonball, and sketches Ike’s restless courage alongside Abner’s proud, wounded stoicism. A stranger with an ox-cart—Jerry—arrives with his irresistible child, Rosamond, spinning eerie “witch” warnings about the cliff hollows that Ike suspects are meant to scare him off. When a storm forces Jerry into Ike’s home, Abner recognizes him and angrily accuses him of wartime treachery, but the family’s hospitality—and Rosamond’s charm—prevail for the night. As Rosamond wins every heart, Jerry recounts his hard luck, while privately showing a mocking edge. In town, gossip swirls: an old-timer suggests Abner wants to reach the cliff cavities not for a cannonball but for Squire Torbett’s rumored hidden money that Ab and Jerry once helped conceal. Community disapproval hardens around Jerry, who tries to regain face by showing off his agility at the store, even as taunts about desertion dog him. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Winifred : or, An English maiden in the seventeenth century

Lucy Ellen Guernsey

"Winifred: or, An English maiden in the seventeenth century" by Lucy Ellen Guernsey is a novel written in the mid-19th century. Set amid the aftermath of the Monmouth Rebellion, it follows steadfast young Winifred Evans, a Somerset yeoman’s granddaughter whose compassion draws her into danger when she shelters a hunted gentleman tied to the loyalist gentry. Expect a morally earnest, historically colored tale of courage, conscience, family duty, and quiet female heroism. The opening of the story frames the brutal reprisals after Sedgemoor, then narrows to Master Evans’s farmhouse, where practical, devout Magdalen, bold-but-fearful Jack, and resolute Winifred live quietly. Sent with provisions to a poor widow, Jack flees the eerie Black Copse; Winifred goes instead, discovers a wounded fugitive hidden among ancient standing stones, and secretly revives him. After a hushed family council, she guides him at midnight to Dame Sprat’s remote cottage, where the widow recognizes him as “Master Arthur.” The next day, using a still-room errand to gain privacy, Winifred delivers his watch and a packet to Lady Peckham, who reveals the man is her beloved brother Arthur Carew; they decide he is safer concealed with Dame Sprat than at the Hall. Mrs. Alwright quietly supplies food and clothing, while tension spikes as Winifred meets the dreaded Colonel Kirke on the avenue, and at home Jack returns with a broken arm from forbidden bird-nesting. The section closes with chores, a letter and books from Winifred’s seafaring father, and the fugitive’s peril still unresolved. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The deserted wife

Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth

The Deserted Wife by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth is a novel written in the mid-19th century. It opens with a sharp critique of hasty marriage and easy divorce, then moves into a domestic drama set in Maryland’s fading planter world. The story centers on gentle, steadfast Sophie Churchill, who raises her orphaned niece on a decayed estate, becomes close to the kindly Emily May, and draws the troubling attention of the new minister, John Huss Withers. Themes of duty, temptation, and social judgment loom, hinting at betrayal and peril ahead. The opening of the novel combines an essay on the causes of unhappy marriages—defective moral and physical education, lax social discipline, and premature unions—with a vivid setup: the ruin of Heath Hall and the proud, impoverished Churchill line. Sophie, left to rear little Hagar with only an ancient servant, finds solace in the friendship of Rev. Senex May and his young wife, Emily; plans to unite their households end abruptly with the old pastor’s sudden death. His successor, the austere John Huss Withers, exerts an icy, magnetic presence that unsettles Sophie, culminating in a tense ride to church and a mysterious apparition in the woods. Back at Heath Hall, a desperate fugitive slave invades the house; Withers subdues him, but Sophie secretly frees the man and aids his escape. Withers then begins visiting Sophie, probing her mind and loneliness with cool, philosophical talk of “ennui” and purpose, while his personal interest becomes unmistakable. The section closes with his intimate address and Sophie’s wary withdrawal, foretelling conflict. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Negro myths from the Georgia coast, told in the vernacular

Jr. (Charles Colcock) Jones, Charles C.

"Negro myths from the Georgia coast, told in the vernacular" by Jr. Charles C. Jones is a collection of folktales written in the late 19th century. It presents animal fables, origin stories, and plantation anecdotes from the Georgia and Carolina sea islands, told in the local dialect. Recurring trickster figures like Buh Rabbit spar with stronger beasts such as Buh Wolf and Buh Alligatur, while brief human sketches and closing morals highlight themes of cunning, promise-keeping, and comeuppance. The opening of the collection frames the work with a dedication and a prefatory note distinguishing coastal dialect and lore from the better-known Middle Georgia tales, followed by a contents list and a swift run of short myths. Early stories explain animal habits (why the alligator hugs the riverbank, why buzzard shuns crabs, why owl preys on roosters at night) and showcase Buh Rabbit’s tricks (escaping the Tar Baby in the brier patch, scaring beasts with a horn, eating a neighbor’s butter under the guise of baptisms). Other episodes caution against arrogance or bad faith, as in the poor man who betrays a helpful snake and loses everything, two “friends” tested by a bear, a monkey who learns what “trouble” is, and a prank on an old man by a master posing as Death. Throughout, the tales are brief, lively, and vernacular-driven, often ending with plainspoken morals voiced by named narrators. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Just his luck

Oliver Optic

Just his luck by Oliver Optic is a novel written in the late 19th century. It’s a brisk juvenile adventure about an honest orphan, Wade Brooks, thrown in with two reckless boys, Lon Trustleton and Matt Swikes, whose mischief spirals from stolen peaches to arson and a desperate flight. With small-town tensions, river escapades, and a hunt underway, the story tests courage and integrity as Wade seeks to clear his name and claim his independence. The opening of the novel follows Wade refusing to steal peaches with Lon and Matt, getting unjustly struck by them, then mistakenly whipped by farmer Garlick—who soon apologizes and gives him peaches when the truth emerges. At home, Wade is abused, denied supper, and while sneaking bread at night he witnesses Matt steal his father’s hidden cash; soon after, Garlick’s barn is set ablaze. Wade slips off to sleep in an old creek sail-boat, while Lon and Matt—who had plotted revenge and escape—burn the barn with a slow-match and board the same boat at midnight, unaware Wade is in the cuddy. By dawn, Wade stands up to the bully, secretly recovers the hidden wallet to return it, and steers for a village to find food. As Lon attacks him again, the boys’ fathers arrive at the boat, setting the stage for a reckoning. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Lefty o' the Blue Stockings

Burt L. Standish

Lefty o’ the Blue Stockings by Burt L. Standish is a sports novel written in the early 20th century. It follows Lefty Locke, a rising southpaw in a tight pennant race, as he navigates pressure on the mound, a jealous veteran pitcher, a meddling new manager, and a tangle of affections that complicates his focus. The tone blends on-field strategy with clubhouse politics and hints of romance. The opening of the book plunges into a high-stakes game where starter Pete Grist unravels, owner Collier orders manager Carson to summon Lefty, and the cool young pitcher stops a Specters rally, duels sluggers, and then drives in the winning run. In the glow of victory Lefty meets Collier’s savvy daughter, Virginia, just as his true sweetheart, Janet Harting, arrives in town—leading to a painful misunderstanding when Janet spots Lefty escorting Virginia at the theater. Shut out from explaining, Lefty stews while Carson repeatedly uses him as a late-inning savior, fueling clubhouse friction and Grist’s resentment; Virginia notices the misuse and nudges her father. After a tense train-row with Carson, Lefty starts against the Specters, pitching in jittery bursts of brilliance and carelessness, leaving his teammates—and the reader—uneasy about his state of mind as the road trip begins. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The Belle of Bowling Green

Amelia E. Barr

"The Belle of Bowling Green" by Amelia E. Barr is a novel written in the early 20th century. Set in New York City around the War of 1812, it blends historical romance and society drama as the admired Sapphira Bloommaert navigates love, family pride, and the mounting stir of war. Her growing attachment to Leonard Murray clashes with her father’s cool disapproval, while the social whirl around the Battery and Bowling Green frames questions of duty, heritage, and choice of heart. The opening of the novel celebrates Bowling Green as the city’s historic heart, then settles into the Bloommaert household: the dignified judge, his spirited wife Carlita, formidable grandmother, steadfast son Christopher, pretty cousin Annette, and “belle” Sapphira. War fever rises—flags fly, drums beat, the judge delivers an impromptu speech that rouses volunteers, and Leonard emerges as a gallant young leader. Domestic and social scenes follow: a lively tea, moonlit Battery promenade, and a cotillion in which Sapphira and Leonard’s mutual feeling quietly crystallizes, provoking the judge’s private resentment. Tensions flare when Leonard asks the women to choose his company’s uniform and when he sends Sapphira white roses; sharp words, Annette’s jealous mischief, and then a tender reconciliation at home mark the family’s strain. Soon news comes that Leonard’s company will man harbor defenses, and, as evening falls, Sapphira waits composedly for the inevitable farewell visit—the moment the excerpt reaches as his steps approach. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Woodcliff

Harriet B. (Harriet Burn) McKeever

"Woodcliff" by Harriet B. McKeever is a novel written in the mid-19th century. It follows Madeline Hamilton, a spirited young heiress whose pride and impulses are challenged by the quiet strength and integrity of Roland Bruce, a poor boy of Scottish stock. Through seaside adventures, schoolroom trials, and domestic clashes, the story contrasts social rank with true nobility, emphasizing self-discipline, compassion, and Christian character. The opening of the novel introduces Madeline on the beach, where she defends poor children and befriends Roland after he stands up to two fashionable bullies, then later risks himself to stop her runaway horse and refuses payment. At home, her indulgent father and status-conscious aunt foster her willfulness until a strict governess briefly steadies her, only to be undone by Madeline’s spoiled cousin and finally resign. Sent to a local day school, Madeline bristles under firm discipline, but—prodded by Roland—humbles herself, applies to her studies, and publicly exposes a classmate who stole Roland’s exam, leading to his merited promotion. A vivid storm scene frames Roland’s tale of martyred Scottish ancestors, deepening the book’s moral and religious tone. Madeline then visits the modest Bruce cottage, offers practical help, and secures sewing work for Roland’s widowed mother, while her own French governess and pampered lap-dog provide comic contrast. These chapters set the arc of Madeline’s gradual moral schooling—away from vanity and toward courage, kindness, and true refinement. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The children of Old Park's Tavern : A story of the South Shore

Frances A. (Frances Amelia) Humphrey

"The children of Old Park's Tavern : A story of the South Shore" by Humphrey is a children's novel written in the late 19th century. Set along Massachusetts’ South Shore before railroads, it follows spirited city girl Dolly Winslow and her cousin Ned Park through tavern life, salt marsh work, and small-town politics, blending wholesome adventure with regional color and a hint of mystery. Cameos by Daniel Webster and the enigma of a shipwrecked woman called the Little Madam give the tale both historical texture and intrigue. The opening of the novel introduces Dolly’s visit to Park’s Tavern in Byfield during a bustling Whig convention, where her secret peek into the meeting-house leads to an overnight misadventure and a brave, clever ruse that scares off would‑be robbers. When news arrives that her parents must sail for Europe, Dolly stays on and is cheered by a salt‑haying sojourn to the Marshfield marshes, where Skipper Joe spins sea tales, she learns to swim, and she and Ned roam in their punt, the Daisy. Lost at dusk among the creeks, they are found by Daniel Webster, who hosts them warmly and shows them his library, farm, and famed hospitality. Back home, they befriend the Little Madam—a tiny, gentle amnesiac rescued at sea who lives simply on Hemlock “Island” with her cockatoo—and Dolly is quietly charged with watching over her as local teasing stirs concern. Inspired by reading Ivanhoe, the children dream up a tournament, and as Dolly’s thirteenth birthday dawns, a carefully kept household secret culminates in a joyous surprise. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Three millions! : or, The way of the world

Oliver Optic

"Three millions! : or, The way of the world" by Oliver Optic is a novel written in the late 19th century. It centers on Eugene Hungerford, a principled young New Englander suddenly enriched by his uncle’s immense fortune—on the condition that he marry and produce a son named John Hungerford—setting up a conflict between love, duty, and personal integrity. The story moves among Poppleton’s mills and harbor and the nearby islands, following Eugene’s feelings for Mary Kingman, the attentions of an ardent artist, Eliot Buckstone, and the counsel of his friend Dick Birch, as wealth collides with character and community. The opening of the novel recounts the rise and death of Baltimore magnate John Hungerford and the reading of his elaborate will: generous bequests to friends and charities, and the bulk—three million dollars—held in trust for nephew Eugene until age thirty, to be inherited outright only if he is married and father to a son named John; otherwise the estate is divided among family members and institutions. Eugene, his mother, and sister Julia return to Poppleton dazed by their new status, while Eugene wrestles with the idea of marriage on principle rather than for money, dreams of improving Pine Hill, and sketches modest philanthropic plans to build decent homes for the poor. His college friend Dick Birch arrives, becomes his adviser, and warns him not to let pride or the will’s “price” chill genuine love. Meanwhile, a marine painter, Eliot Buckstone, spots Mary Kingman adrift after losing her oars and swims out, but Eugene and Dick soon tow her safely in, leading to a visit at her family’s weathered house on The Great Bell. There, Eugene’s restraint and stiffness—born of his fear of seeming to buy love—leave Mary unassured, while the charming Buckstone shows keen interest, setting the stage for the social and romantic tensions to come. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Jibby Jones : A story of Mississippi River adventure for boys

Ellis Parker Butler

"Jibby Jones : A story of Mississippi River adventure for boys" by Butler is a children’s adventure novel written in the early 20th century. The story follows a crew of Riverbank boys who befriend the tall, literal, and endearingly odd Jibby Jones, a newcomer with an author father, as they dive into river mischief, fishing contests, and the tantalizing hint of a hidden pirate hoard. It’s a humorous, good‑natured tale of ingenuity, friendship, and life on the Mississippi. The opening of the novel introduces Birch Island’s stilted cottages and the boys—Tad, Skippy, Wampus, and the narrator—meeting Jibby, whose giant “jib” nose, calm logic, and far‑flung river anecdotes make him unforgettable. After Jibby fixes their balky motor and charms them with his offbeat thinking (like calling his too‑small clothes his “big suit”), the group pranks him with a tall tale about nose‑diving for pearls; Jibby dives anyway and, to everyone’s shock, surfaces with a large pearl that keeps his family on the island. A rainy‑day story from Jibby about the land pirate John A. Murrell—plus the clue “Riverbank” and the lone‑pine signal—spurs them to form a treasure‑hunting club, while a sapling‑catapult fishing stunt flings a carp into a tree, fueling comic debates about animals “climbing.” The boys then compete for Uncle Oscar’s fishing prize: Jibby seems to “smell” fish but actually wins by smart preparation—choosing a proven hole and “scouring” worms per Izaak Walton—before the section closes with the narrator’s dog Rover back home and howling, hinting that nightfall and new trouble lie ahead. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The Corbin necklace

Henry Kitchell Webster

"The Corbin Necklace" by Henry Kitchell Webster is a mystery novel written in the early 20th century. It follows a prominent Midwestern family on the eve of Judith Corbin’s wedding, when an infamous pearl necklace becomes the center of danger, pride, and intrigue. Narrated by a nearby family friend confined with a broken leg, the story watches sharp-eyed young Punch, reluctant bride Judy, their formidable grandmother, their strained mother Victoria, and returning Uncle Alec as a vanished heirloom exposes hidden loyalties and fault lines. The opening of the novel sets the scene: Punch frets that newspapers have announced the pearls as Judy’s wedding gift, the neighbor-narrator sketches the Corbin dynasty and its iron-willed matriarch, and Judy arrives home ambivalent about her marriage to Bruce Applebury. At The Oaks, Punch discovers the safe once left unlocked; tensions flare between Victoria and Mrs. Corbin over who should have the necklace; Judy hints at her grandmother’s morphine use; and Uncle Alec reappears from the Philippines. On the day the guests arrive, Judy abruptly feigns a sprained ankle after a jolting encounter, and that evening Mrs. Corbin invites her to wear the pearls—but the case proves empty, prompting Victoria to urge secrecy while Alec argues for detectives. The party continues: Judy hides a hastily delivered note in a vase, Punch keeps a nocturnal watch, glimpses a man in torn, pale pajamas heading upstairs, and encounters Miss Digby in the hall, until morning brings Punch a sudden idea about where to look, cutting the opening on a taut cliff. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The sailor boy : or, Jack Somers in the navy

Oliver Optic

"The sailor boy : or, Jack Somers in the navy" by Oliver Optic is a juvenile adventure novel written in the mid-19th century. It follows Jack Somers, a spirited New England boy whose patriotism and love of the sea draw him into the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. Readers can expect brisk nautical action, moral lessons, and detailed shipboard routine as a young sailor learns courage, discipline, and duty. The opening of the novel shows Jack electrified by news of a Union naval victory while his widowed mother worries over losing another son to war. When a naval lieutenant, Bankhead, urgently needs a skilled boatman to reach Fort Warren in a gale, Jack pilots Captain Barney’s yacht through a furious night, later rescuing Bankhead after a near-collision sends him overboard. Grateful, the officer helps win Jack’s mother’s consent; Jack enlists in Boston as an ordinary seaman, receives his kit, and learns the hard edges of discipline on the receiving ship Ohio—including a clash with a bullying mess-cook and a crafty, rule-safe “payback” advised by veteran Tom Longstone. Soon drafted to the sloop-of-war Harrisburg with a few new friends, Jack is assigned stations and roles, and the narrative sketches the ship’s structure and hierarchy as he eagerly awaits getting under way. (This is an automatically generated summary.)