During the height of conflict between English and French forces in colonial Canada, young Phil Carleton is swept from the safety of home into the chaos of war. When his father, Captain Carleton, entrusts him to the care of Dr. Martin, a grey, anxious-looking man in his close-fitting black silk cap, Phil must leave everything familiar behind and embark on a dangerous journey through hostile territory. The doctor has his reasons for his peculiar dress, but Phil has weightier concerns: evading enemy patrols, surviving capture, and finding his way back to his father's protection. George Manville Fenn weaves historical detail with adventure as Phil encounters General Wolfe himself during the pivotal moments of the conflict. The boy witnesses history unfolding while learning what it truly means to be brave when the world around him is falling apart. Taken by his father to a place of safety, captured by enemies, forced to survive in foreign lands, Phil's journey tests both his courage and his loyalty. The book endures because it captures that universal moment when a child discovers what he is made of, far from home and facing dangers no boy should have to face.
