The Cruise of the Dazzler

The Cruise of the Dazzler is an adventure novel written by Jack London and originally published in 1902. It is one of London's earliest novels.

Set in San Francisco, the city where Jack London was born, it tells the story of young Joe Bronson who, unmotivated by his school life between math or science classes, decides to drop out and joins the crew of a ship sailing on San Francisco Bay.

On the ship, Joe befriends Dazzler, a former drifter who also joins the crew. However, before long, Joe realizes that the captain is involved in criminal activity and has actually joined a pirate ship and wants to flee from there and return to his family.

"They ran across the shining sand, the Pacific thundering its long surge at their backs, and when they gained the roadway leaped upon bicycles and dived at faster pace into the green avenues of the park. There were three of them, three boys, in as many bright-colored sweaters, and"