Rees Kenyon was just a man of twenty when he left his family in Wales and their shipbuilding trade to study medicine in London. He loved his new profession--but more than that he loved Grace, his mentor's daughter. Before Rees and Grace could be married, a cholera epidemic stole her away and Rees fled both his country and his heartbreak and set sail for the America colonies.

As he is leaving London, he meets Callie Summers, a sixteen-year-old orphan using her wits to survive on the streets. Rees rescues Callie from a cruel owner and takes her on as his ward. Together they sail to Boston and into the tumultuous world of the Revolution.

At first Rees tries to remain neutral--both in his politics and in matters of love--but events draw him into battle and he discovers he must fight for justice and the independence of his adopted land. He lends his shipbuilding skills to the construction of a spider catcher, a small, cunning vessel that can overpower British warships. The once quiet doctor finds a life of deep meaning and high adventure as he joins forces with the Patriots.