The Lily and the Cross

Fog holds a Boston schooner almost motionless at the start of this Acadian adventure. Her commander, Zac, has agreed to carry young Claude Motier toward Louisbourg, a destination he regards with suspicion. Another passenger, the French priest Abbé Michel, shares Claude's language and an unexplained resemblance to him. Their conversations expose tensions between French and English loyalties, while the crew's sharply different temperaments bring comedy to life aboard the vessel.

James De Mille combines a historical setting with the practical problems of seafaring and captivity. Zac, Terry and Jericho regain control of their schooner from a party of Acadians, then debate how to guard their new prisoners. Readers who enjoy sailing stories can follow the changes in power through quick decisions, improvised signals and uneasy negotiations. The tale's young characters and lively shipboard scenes also suit readers of older adventure fiction for children.