Fire Down Below: With an introduction by Victoria Glendinning (Sea Trilogy)

The third volume of William Golding's Sea Trilogy

A decrepit warship sails on the last stretch of its voyage to Sydney Cove. It has been blown off course and battered by wind, storm and ice. Little but rope holds the disintegrating hull together. And after a risky operation to reset its foremast, an unseen fire begins to smoulder below decks.