The Second Mate

"The Second Mate" by H. Bedford-Jones is a sea adventure that throws readers onto the troubled steamer "Sulu Queen" along with second mate Jim Barnes, who must fight against angry seas and a crew on the edge of rebellion. Loaded with a mix of missionaries, a manipulative cargo boss, and untrustworthy sailors, the ship becomes a battleground of deception. Barnes finds himself in the middle of it all, trying to keep the ship from falling apart and protect certain people, especially two female missionaries, Nora Sayers and Ellen Maggs, as the threat of mutiny becomes more real, and the dangers of the voyage and onboard conflict become clear.