Jack London The Cruise of the Dazzler

“The men jumped out, the lines were thrown aboard, and the whole crew, except Joe, lent a hand. From the shouts, the sound of oars, and the clinking and flapping of blocks and sails, it was clear that the men ashore were preparing to give chase… The work wasn’t finished, but the men were exhausted from the effort and welcomed that moment of pause. Joe took the opportunity to look overboard and try to figure out what that heavy object was, and he caught a glimpse of the shape of a small safe.”

The Cruise of the Dazzler (1902) is the first novel written by Jack London. It tells the story of Joe Bronson, a teenager not inclined to study who, bored with family life and to avoid boarding school, runs away from home and joins the crew of a small boat sailing in San Francisco Bay. His first and exciting voyage in ocean waters, due to the captain’s criminal activities, soon turns into a daring and dangerous adventure.