As Tom Tin nears Australia, where hes to serve a lengthy sentence for a murder he didnt commit, he and his fellow convict, Midgely, plot their escape. No matter that the ship carrying them and the other juvenile criminals is captained by Toms father. Tom knows his father cant help him clear his name and regain his freedomnot as long as Mr. Goodfellow, a man who wants the ruin of the Tin family, wields power back in London. So Tom and Midgely decide to go overboard! So do other boys who seize their chance at libertyboys who arent so innocent, and who have it in for Tom.To make things worse, the islands in the Pacific look inviting, but Tom remembers his fathers warnings: headhunters and cannibals lurk there! The boys go anyway. And as conflict among them mounts, as they encounter the very dangers Captain Tin spoke of, Tom must fight to keep himself and Midgely alive.