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"It is October 1850, talk of the discovery of gold in California is rampant, and sixteen-year-old Sam Nelson has just made a lifechanging decision. After he sneaks away from his family in the middle of the night with nothing but a carpetbag and a desire for more in life, he arrives at the bustling Newburyport harbor-anxious to find a job on a ship and sail to California to join the Gold Rush.
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"It is October 1850, talk of the discovery of gold in California is rampant, and sixteen-year-old Sam Nelson has just made a lifechanging decision. After he sneaks away from his family in the middle of the night with nothing but a carpetbag and a desire for more in life, he arrives at the bustling Newburyport harbor-anxious to find a job on a ship and sail to California to join the Gold Rush.

After he finds the captain of a square-rigged sailing ship, Sam quickly secures a job as a cabin boy. As the Callao sets sail on an anticipated four-month voyage to San Francisco, Sam is thrilled. His journey to freedom-and potential fortune-has begun. But it is not long before reality sets in. The demands of the job, loneliness, and unforeseen hardships soon propel Sam into a dark place, where he is forced to grow up quickly and wonders if he made the right decision. But after he is befriended by Jack, the ship�s kindly carpenter, and Ben, a young passenger, life begins to look up for Sam. Unbeknownst to him, he is sailing straight into manhood.

In this adventurous tale based on true events, a young man with a big dream soon learns more about himself than he ever imagined as he takes the voyage of a lifetime."

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