The Boy Duellist; Or, The Cruise of the Sea Wolf

"The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea Wolf," by Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, begins with a desperate flight. Two fugitives—a boatswain and helmsman named Brentford—escape by sea with stolen gold after killing during a robbery. When the boatswain demands they raid nearby coastal homes for more treasure, Brentford refuses. The boatswain attacks with a knife; they struggle, and Brentford hurls him overboard, believing him dead. However, the man survives and floats helplessly as the sloop sails away. A young sailor, Enoch Blanchard, rescues the drowning man and brings him to his family's coastal cottage. When the unconscious castaway revives, Enoch's mother recognizes him as Oliver Eustace, an acquaintance from their past. The narrative combines maritime adventure with mystery and melodrama.