Publisher's Synopsis
A young man sets out on his first voyage as captain, and he is unfamiliar with both his ship and his crew. He is unsure of his ability to exert his authority over the officers and crew who have been together for some time, and makes the point several times that he is the "stranger" on board. A mysterious naked night-swimmer climbs aboard, and, in keeping the presence of this fugitive a secret and finding a natural rapport with him, the skipper risks both his captaincy and the safety of his ship. A test of nerve in the Gulf of Siam (now the Gulf of Thailand) ensues.
