Charlie Codman's Cruise

Charlie Codman's Cruise sends a poor, earnest boy from the hardships of selling newspapers into a far more dangerous world of ships, secrets, and hard men. Charlie longs for an education, but his real schooling comes through danger, where courage, loyalty, and duty are tested at every turn. Early on, his kindness is shown in sharp contrast to Peter Manson, a miser who guards every penny, every scrap of food, and every bit of warmth in a bleak, nearly empty house, until a mysterious visitor begins to unsettle his carefully hidden life. From there, the story broadens into a tense maritime adventure filled with intimidation and injustice. Charlie is forced aboard ship under the false name Jack Randall, but he refuses to surrender his identity or his dignity. With the help of Bill Sturdy, a rough yet good-hearted sailor who becomes his protector, Charlie faces bullying, harsh authority, and the threat of violence from men like Antonio. Blending suspense, moral conflict, and the uplifting spirit of Horatio Alger's fiction, the novel follows a boy determined to endure hardship without losing his honor. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.