Robert Coverdale's Struggle

A cliffside cabin in a New England fishing village gives fifteen-year-old Robert Coverdale a home and a heavy share of responsibility. His uncle John Trafton spends much of his earnings at the tavern, leaving Robert and Aunt Jane with little to live on. Robert catches fish, trades for groceries and studies arithmetic from a battered book. Horatio Alger builds the opening around his practical kindness, his wish for better prospects and his determination to provide for his aunt.

The story later brings Robert an unusual opportunity: a hermit sends him away on confidential business, beginning in Boston. Financial help for Aunt Jane and an arrangement over the cabin's mortgage make the assignment possible. This novel connects the daily pressures of poverty with education, family loyalty and the chance to earn someone's trust. Its coastal household and Robert's careful preparations offer readers a view of ambition measured against obligations to other people.