During one of his several adventurous voyages in the 1600s, an Englishman becomes the sole survivor of a shipwreck and lives for nearly thirty years on a deserted island. Illustrated notes throughout the text explain the historical background of the story.

A coming of age story of four adventurous young friends who set out to capture prize stallions that have broken free from a wealthy stable. Though motivated by the reward money, they come to realize their friendship is much more valuable as they face challenges on their journey, including an ex-convict who will stop at nothing to reach the horses before they do.