Lieutenant Cornelius van-slyperken is the greedy and treacherous commander of a small vessel that hunts for smugglers in the English Channel. Snarleyyow is his indestructible dog.

Captain Frederick Marryat (1792-1848) was an actual 19th-century British naval hero who lived a saga worthy of the novels of C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian. He survived fifty naval battles on the crack frigate Imperieuse under Lord Cochrane-the real-life model for Horatio Hornblower and Jack Aubrey. In addition to plenty of cannonfire, battle strategy, peril, and passion-liberally sprinkled with wit and fine turns of phrase-Marryat's real-life naval experiences lend his novels a truly remarkable authenticity.