The first edition of this book is dated 1889. The edition used is dated 1889. The publisher was The Office of the Boy’s Own Paper, London. The number of pages is 308.

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General information

For regular readers of Reed’s works this will be a surprise. Not a mention of a school or its inhabitants! Set in the late sixteenth century and couched in slightly archaic English, it narrates the adventures of an apprentice to a printer. But this young lad gets caught up in all sorts of adventures, and is especially drawn to Ludar, a young Irish rebel.

There is a good deal of travelling by sea, and though this sounds convincing as Reed writes it, there is not much depth in it. In other words you do not need a deep knowledge of rigging and seamanship to follow what is happening, as you do with, for instance, the work of W.H.G. Kingston.

There is a slightly dream-like feel about this book. We jump from one situation to the next without, sometimes, being sure how we got there.

Try the book for yourself, and see what you think. NH.

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Contents

A Story of the Days of the Great Queen Bess.

Chapter II.
How I served a Disorderly Printer.

Chapter III.
How I rode post-haste to Oxford.

Chapter IV.
How I met a Runaway Scholar.

Chapter V.
How I parted with my Cloak.

Chapter VI.
How I walked with a Rebel.

Chapter VII.
How I found Trouble on my Return.

Chapter VIII.
How I was cast adrift.

Chapter IX.
How I caught the Miséricorde.

Chapter X.
How we sailed with a Poet of the First Water.

Chapter XI.
How the Miséricorde changed her Crew.

Chapter XII.
How we sailed into Leith.

Chapter XIII.
How we brought the Maiden to her Father’s House.

Chapter XIV.
How Ludar fired the Beacon on Knocklay.

Chapter XV.
How Ludar took Dunluce.

Chapter XVI.
How Sorley Boy McDonnell came Home to his own.

Chapter XVII.
How a Dog’s Head was set on Dublin Gate.

Chapter XVIII.
How I found myself again in London.

Chapter XIX.
How I was concerned in Treason and Love.

Chapter XX.
How there came Visitors to Master Walgrave’s House.

Chapter XXI.
How a Certain Man was hanged at Tyburn.

Chapter XXII.
How Master Walgrave fell short of Type.

Chapter XXIII.
How the Miséricorde sailed for Rochelle.

Chapter XXIV.
How the Invincible Armada came into British Waters.

Chapter XXV.
How the Dons sailed up Channel.

Chapter XXVI.
How Ludar brought back the Duke’s Letter.

Chapter XXVII.
How Ludar sailed North and I South.

Chapter XXVIII.
How I enlisted on a New Service.

Chapter XXIX.
How Captain Merriman came and went betwixt me and the Light.

Chapter XXX.
How the Sun went down behind Malin.

Chapter XXXI.
How we came into Calm Water after all.

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