The Cruise of the Sally D

"The Cruise of the Sally D" by James Otis is a story set in a time long ago about a young boy named Sam Cushing, who has a really rough life on the schooner Sally D because of his mean stepfather, Captain Doak. Sam feels trapped until he meets Uncle Ben, a lobster fisherman, who gives him hope for a better future, but this sets up a big fight with his stepfather. At the beginning of the story, Sam is super unhappy living on the Sally D and tells Uncle Ben he wants to get away. Uncle Ben tells Sam he should run away and that he will talk to Captain Doak to try and make him be nicer. This makes it clear that Sam wants to be free and that Uncle Ben is going to help him, which leads to some tough situations on Apple Island.