The Last Cruise of the Spitfire; or, Luke Foster's Strange Voyage

"The Last Cruise of the Spitfire; or, Luke Foster's Strange Voyage" by Edward Stratemeyer is a tale set in the late 1800s that centers on a young man named Luke Foster and his troubled life with his cruel uncle, Felix Stillwell. The narrative unfolds as Luke uncovers that the man who raised him may not be his true guardian, launching him into a whirlwind of family secrets and high-seas adventure. Initially, readers meet Luke as a virtual servant trapped in his uncle's New York City office, where he's mistreated and denied even a simple birthday joy. However, fate intervenes when Luke stumbles upon a letter that reveals his uncle's deception, and then he is wrongly accused of theft when money vanishes from the office. Amidst this turmoil, Luke is seized and thrust onto the ship Spitfire, where he quickly becomes aware of the crew's shady dealings and faces peril on the ocean, forcing him to evolve from a downtrodden teenager into a resourceful young man.