Of High Descent

Beside a rocky Atlantic shore, Luke Vine fishes below mining works while boats pass the town of East and West Hakemouth. Polly Perrow warns him about a dangerous wave, and his niece Louise arrives with her friend Madelaine. Their conversation turns from fishing to Harry's unsettled employment and the family pride that makes trade seem beneath him. Luke's sharp remarks draw a firm defence from Louise, who insists on her affection for her brother.

George Manville Fenn brings these domestic tensions into a coastal community where working lives depend on boats, cargoes and knowledge of the water. A detective joins a search at sea while George Vine and Louise wait on the rocks. Signal lights briefly expose the shoreline, and Luke explains how the powerful current governs the search. The novel combines family disagreement with suspense, giving readers both lively exchanges between relatives and close attention to the harbour's activity and dangers.