Three short stories from "The Captain" volume XXVII How Dymock Came to Derry; Jack Devereux's Scoop; The Powder Hulk

In the opening tale the reader is thrust into the storm‑tossed waters of 1689, where a determined sea captain surveys the battered town of Derry and the massive boom choking the River Foyle. He must decide whether to force a passage past French and Irish guns, while the beleaguered defenders huddle behind burning rooftops and dwindling supplies. The scene is painted with vivid naval jargon and the palpable tension of a siege that could turn on a single daring maneuver.

The companion stories shift into different eras of danger. A resourceful journalist named Jack Devereux watches a low‑flying aeroplane drop a bomb, forcing him to choose between a sensational scoop and his own safety. In another account, a lone officer discovers a powder‑laden hulk on the brink of catastrophe and races against a ticking fuse to avert disaster. Each narrative blends action with the sharp instincts of ordinary men thrust into extraordinary moments.