Blood On The River

I am now ¼ of the way through the book Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone. It is the year 1607 and the main character is an 11-year-old boy named Samuel. His mother and father died and he had been living on the streets of London, getting in trouble, until he got put in a foster home. There, the homes “manager”, Reverend Hunt, was able to take two boys on a trip to Virginia in the New World with him. Samuel and another boy named Richard said they would come. They were going to become someone on the ships servant or helper. Samuel was going to become John Smiths page. They boarded one of the 3 ships going to Virginia, the Susan Constant. They had to stay on the ‘tween level of the ship where it was very cramped, Samuel, Richard, and another boy named James also had to cram into one bed! When they left the weather was very bad and they had to stay off the coast of London for a long time. They were finally able to set off. They would head to Africa for supplies (water), then to the West Indies, and finally to Virginia. Smith wasn’t mean to Samuel and he didn’t need to do much for him other than empty his waste bucket (toilet), that’s also the only time he would be allowed on the deck of the ship (to empty it). They made it to Africa and didn’t stay long, they didn’t even go ashore! On the way to the Indies a gentleman named Master Wingfield lied that Captain Smith was trying to overthrow the captain of the ship, Captain Newport. They put him in chains until they got to the islands. They docked in Nevis and stayed for six days. There they were going to hang John Smith but Reverend Hunt persuaded them that they will need him as a translator in Virginia. They are now on the filthy ‘tween deck of the Susan Constant, again, heading to Virginia!