When Thomas Paine Kydd, a young wig-maker from Guildford, is seized and taken across the country to be part of the crew of the 98-gun line-of-battle ship Duke William, he must learn the harsh realities of shipboard life quickly. Despite all he goes through, amid dangers of tempest and battle, he comes to admire the skills and courage of his fellow seamen, taking up the challenge himself to become a true sailor and defender of Britain at war.