Devil’s Bluff
by Timothy Hay
illustrations by Flora Mathews
Thrown together by fate on Devil’s Bluff,
the courage and triumph of our young heroes
will not soon be forgotten.
Three boys on the high seas in the mid-eighteenth century find themselves marooned on a desolate island ruled over by a cruel Master.
Can their growing friendship overcome his merciless control? And where, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, can they escape to?
Timothy Hay’s debut young adult adventure novel jumps off the page. You can feel the spray of the Atlantic, the weight of the gold, the sting of the whip, and the joy of their triumph!
Read Inside
Chapter One
THE ROSE
Nothing felt better to George than the rush of the sea breeze on his freckled face as he paddled his little boat out of the harbor. Not that it was much of a harbor. Darby was the sort of fishing village that dotted the southern coast of Devonshire. A few dozen houses crouched around a muddy track which ran down to the water’s edge. A small stone quay jutted out into the bay, separating off the little harbor, providing refuge for the small fleet of little fishing boats.
The bay itself opened into the Atlantic Ocean only three miles south of Darby. George had never been out on the ocean by himself. He kept inside the bay, where there were plenty of fish, and always a short, safe trip home if the weather turned. His father had told him they’d go out past the bay together once George turned fourteen. One year to go, thought George, as he paddled into the current, letting it pull his little boat into the main channel.
On that fateful day in early September, George looked towards the darkening clouds on the horizon and thought nothing of them. The sun was warm. The air was crisp, but not cold yet. Down on the west side of the bay he could see the tall masts of an ocean-going schooner at the docks of Exton. Loading up to go to the American colonies, thought George. How he’d love to crew on one of those ships! He’d told his father that one time, and got quite a wallop. “No boy of mine’s going to be sailoring across the ocean!” wailed his father. “You’re going to stay put, right here in Devon.”
George lay back, letting the little boat drift with the current. He may have closed his eyes for a few minutes. Or he may just have been day-dreaming. But when a big, fat drop of rain splattered on his cheek, he sat up fast.
He couldn’t figure out where he was at first, then realized how far he’d actually come. Looming red and menacing in front of him was the western bluff, guarding the opening to the bay. The wind was blowing hard. He turned to his left and saw the deep blue, wide open sea spread in front of him. He was moving quickly into it, as the current carried him straight out of Exton Bay.
About Timothy Hay
Timothy Hay was marooned on a mid-Atlantic island for many years. While there, he discovered hidden documents from which he was able to reconstruct, at long last, the story of Devil’s Bluff.
Claims that Timothy Hay made up the story are false.
