Tom Bandon's world is turned upside down when a Catholic Queen Mary comes to the throne, forcing his protestant parents to go on the run. They leave him with instructions to flee York and head for Hull and once there, seek out his Uncle Douglas Murphy prior to his voyage west. He volunteers to be indentured as a member of the crew serving as the captain's cabin boy. Later his Christian upbringing sees him at odds with his Uncle's 'devil may care' attitude when 'The Grouse' comes across an Arabian merchant ship amid a storm and sinks it, taking two captives and depriving them of their valuable cargo. An Arabian girl and her elderly father are thrown into the hold. She becomes friendly with Tom and they form a discrete friendship. On entering the Virgin Islands 'The Grouse' is attacked by Jacques De-Sores vessel and sunk. They are stranded on an eerie mist shrouded island inhabited by diminutive beings called Tutus. Their queen begs them to help rid the Island of, Mowang, the evil one. Mayya agrees to Tom's horror. Along with Cerene, the queen's helper, they head westwards towards Brewers Beach and Mowang's cave. They are aided by a heroic Ceboney girl and the hand of the Great Spirit, and yet the forces of evil hinder their progress at each stage but they persist despite Cerene's death at the hands of 'Draco' Mowang's evil pet and being captured by wicked pirates, then having to endure the baptism on the back of the humpback whale Colossus. Finally with the collective good on their side, Mowang's cave is violated and he is banished. Victory, though sweet at the time, comes at a cost for without the great evil, great good cannot exist. The enchanted beings are now caught up in a swirling sand storm and disappear into the island dust. The re-emergence of Mayya's father and Captain Murphy, together as partners on an acquired galleon, picks up the couple and rescues them from the now liberated island. Together they endured and learnt life's cruel lessons about loyalty, love and the sadness of separation.
