Halfhyde and the Chain Gangs

Murder and chicanery stalk St. Vincent Halfhyde as he is given the unwelcome task of taking the old square-rigged ship Glen Hallandale on government service from Devonport dockyard to Cape Town. His "cargo" consists of a large draft of unruly, dangerous convicts from Dartmoor Prison, volunteers for the fight against the Boers in South Africa—volunteers who travel in chain gangs and under strong escort or armed warders in Halfhyde's hastily converted holds. The voyage proves a turbulent one through bad weather and the temper-inflaming heat and stickiness of the Doldrums. Conditions in the hold are appalling and the chain gangs are stirred to riot by their murderous ringleaders. Vicious fighting develops when a party from a mysterious steam yacht attempts to board the Glen Hallandale and seeks to make contact with a gentleman convict. And then there is the matter of the gold bullion hidden aboard . . .