As the target of the juvenile gangs in the docklands of Sydney in 1863, Sam Galloway finds that nimble fingers and swift feet are of more use to him that the ability to read. This changes when his dying mother gives him a man's pocket watch with an inscription on the back - an inscription he cannot read. Although the words are a mystery, his mother tells him that the watch belongs to the father he never knew. She entreats him to journey to Auckland, New Zealand and find his aunt, his father's sister, but his mother dies before she can tell him anymore. Escaping the clutches of the landlord leads Sam to an encounter with a navy deserter who shelters him but takes the precious watch. In order to get the watch back, Sam must take to the sea but what starts off as an amazing adventure turns into a mission to survive as the navy ship begins to sink as night approaches. To survive the turbulent seas seems impossible and when Sam slips under the water, it appears that all is lost. Can Sam, the outcast, be rescued and recover what has been taken from him, the only thing that connects him to his father's family and reconnect with the brave heroes of the shipwreck? The facts of the sinking of the navy corvette HMS Orpheus on 7th 1863 off the west coast of New Zealand are used in this tale of high adventure at sea. Suitable for ages 8-12. Winner: 2014 Notable Book Award for Junior Fiction