The Challenger

Can Hawk survive the many challenges that lay ahead?

Hawk has spent most of his sixteen years on the streets of Portsmouth, England. Survival has always been his greatest concern. Unfortunately, to a street urchin like Hawk, survival means breaking the law; breaking the law means incarceration. Because of an unfortunate episode involving larceny, the magistrate has sentenced Hawk to six months in jail. With the help of a friend, he escapes. Hoping to avoid recapture he signs onto a clipper ship called The Challenger. Quickly thereafter the three-mast schooner sails off to the South Seas. Unfortunately, at every turn, the sailing crew challenges Hawk's contribution. These are hardened men who revile Hawk's presence; therefore, they want him off the ship. The question is, if he stays can he survive the long journey with men who will kill for as little as a mug of ale and a piece of bread, or maybe for as much as a chest filled with treasure that is ill-gotten?

And if he does survive a year at sea with a band of malcontents, will he ultimately become just like them? Only the test of time and determination can say.

About the Author
Richard W. Irion is a first-time author who wants to take the reader back to the age of tall ships, adventure on the high seas, battles won and battles lost. Richard is a US Air Force veteran, a retired postmaster, a devoted Christian, and a persistent reader who presently lives in Mays Landing, New Jersey.