The Coxswain's Bride; also, Jack Frost and Sons; and, A Double Rescue

A falling barometer threatens the happiness of Robert Massey's wedding eve. The young coxswain of the Greyton lifeboat sits beside Nellie Carr as she mends a fishing net, while his bowman prepares for worsening weather. Their affectionate conversation gives way to a fierce storm and the plight of a schooner stranded on a sandbank. A little girl, her mother and her grandfather are among the passengers facing the rising danger.

Ballantyne's collection joins sea adventure with stories for younger readers. In the title story, the work of survival continues at an island camp, where food is running short and a missing companion causes distress. Dr Hayward and several others set out to find provisions while Massey stays at camp and Nellie comforts Peggy Mitford. The excerpts give practical tasks as much attention as sudden danger, making the story suited to readers interested in lifeboats, resourcefulness and the responsibilities of a small community.