
A daring young prince finds himself on the lawless shores of Tortuga, where the line between honor and piracy blurs. In the opening chapter he confronts a grim bargain: the fleet’s crew, once loyal soldiers, are now cheap cargo to be pawned off, their fates tangled in the ruthless politics of colonial powers. The governor’s cynical counsel and the stark reality of scurvy‑ridden men set the stage for a tense negotiation that reveals Rupert’s conflicted sense of duty and his willingness to gamble everything for a chance at redemption.
As the conversation unfolds, the narrative paints a vivid picture of the Caribbean’s brutal economy, the uneasy camaraderie among buccaneers, and the looming threat of Cromwell’s iron‑fisted rule. Rupert’s resolve is tested by the stark choices before him—whether to accept the grim terms or carve a new path amid the chaos. The scene teems with vivid dialogue, colorful characters, and a palpable sense of adventure that promises further peril and intrigue on the high seas.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (352K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Al Haines
Release date
2018-04-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1866–1944
Best remembered for fast-moving adventure stories, he helped shape the feel of late Victorian and Edwardian popular fiction. His most famous creation, Captain Kettle, made him a widely read name on both sides of the Atlantic.
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