[1] It was the third, and final, novel written by Hawes, who died shortly before its publication, making him the only author to be awarded the Newbery Medal posthumously.

When they reach Bideford, Martin leads the way to the house of Mother Taylor, an old woman who works as the go-between for numerous illegal activities.

Although the Old One and his followers initially put on a mask of friendliness, they soon reveal their true nature as pirates, killing the Rose's captain and seizing control of the ship.

He manages to convince them of the nearby pirate ship, and thus forewarned, they are easily able to defeat the Old One and his crew, and capture the Rose of Devon.

Unfortunately, the British captain is unconvinced of Phil's innocence, believing instead that he was a pirate spy who, once captured, sold out his friends in an attempt to gain his freedom.

Phil becomes one of Sir John's closest companions for several years, and serves under him during the English Civil War on the side of the Royalists.

Although Phil rises through the ranks during the war, the forces of Oliver Cromwell eventually emerge victorious, and Sir John is killed in battle.

In The Elementary English Review, Marion Lovis praised the book, highlighting both the technical knowledge and strong characters Hawes displayed in his writing.