
A young boy finds himself alone on a remote, windswept island, sharing a bleak shelter with a stern, secretive man who seems as much a mystery as the island itself. Through the boy’s eyes we glimpse a childhood of whispered questions, harsh lessons, and the constant roar of the sea that both threatens and sustains them. The narrative opens with his earliest memories of climbing rugged cliffs, listening to the man’s silent vigilance, and trying to piece together the fragments of a shipwreck that left them stranded.
As the days stretch into weeks, the boy learns to read the island’s rhythms—finding fresh water, gathering firewood, and deciphering the few clues the man reluctantly offers. Their fragile existence is punctuated by sudden storms and the haunting remnants of a wrecked vessel that hint at other lives once caught in the same tide. With each new discovery, the boy’s curiosity grows, setting the stage for a gripping tale of survival, courage, and the search for answers in a world where every wave could bring either danger or hope.
Language
fi
Duration
~7 hours (452K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2016-05-05
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1792–1848
A daring Royal Navy officer turned storyteller, he helped shape the sea adventure novel with lively tales drawn from real experience. His books mix action, humor, and sharp observation, and they went on to influence generations of writers for young readers and adults alike.
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