Captains Courageous A Story of the Grand Banks

Captains Courageous is a novel by Rudyard Kipling that follows the adventures of fifteen-year-old Harvey Cheyne Jr., the spoiled son of a railroad tycoon, after he is saved from drowning by a Portuguese fisherman in the north Atlantic. As it turns out, Harvey's apparent misfortune in tumbling from a life of pampered luxury into the humble company of a fishing schooner becomes a blessing in disguise. Compelled by the captain to earn his keep, Harvey loses his affectations as he learns the rewards of an honest day's labor amid the gruff and hearty companionship of the crewmen, who teach him to be worth his salt as they fish the waters off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Being unfolded in an American setting, this lively tale resounds with Kipling's customary blend of adventure and humor. Kipling paints the story full of fun, beauty, and pathos, and the ever-changing sea becomes a familiar landscape in his capable hands.