Harvey Cheyne, pampered son of an American millionaire is swept overboard from the deck of a liner and picked up by a small fishing boat, one of several trawling the Grand Banks. He is rapidly confronted by the harsh realities of life and comes to terms with himself amid the hard labour and morality of the redoubtable New England fishermen.
Kipling, although an Englishman born and bred, had the remarkable ability to get under the skin of many different cultures and this tale is a fine example of his talent and versatility.