Fleeing from danger, Robert and his best friend Michael sneak aboard a ship and hide in a lifeboat, convinced they will start a new life at the next port. When they are found, the real trouble begins. Trapped aboard a British Naval vessel, the boys must learn to endure a harsh life at sea and figure out how to get off without being shot as deserters. Torrential storms, a terrorizing bully, a mysterious initiation, and an untimely death during a perilous rounding of Cape Horn fill their months with adventure. An unexpected chance to escape comes and the boys don't waste a moment. It doesn't take long for them to realize they have gotten themselves lost in a treacherous jungle. Sickness plagues them. Spiders, snakes, and lurking predators are there at every turn. Robert and Michael must learn to rely on their wits...if they want to survive.