I got this slightly-battered paperback from Better World Books during a binge-buy from one of their sales {wry grin}. The cover looks creepy, and the story sounds tantalizing - something about a cursed village, crypts, and smugglers...

Turned out to be pretty entertaining, though with lots of shoutouts to Treasure Island - hard to avoid, I guess, with anything involving a young lad and a surprise ocean voyage {wry grin}. Early on, our young hero - at odds with his strict aunt - sneaks out at night to explore a new crack in a graveyard vault ("I believe there never was a boy yet who saw a hole in the ground, or a cave in a hill, or much more an underground passage, but longed incontinently to be into it and discover whither it led"), and stumbles upon a secret meeting of locals who are apparently into (surprise!) smuggling. And then he gets trapped in the vault - but this doesn't turn out quite as badly as it might have, even giving him a new friend and a new home.

His adventures have only begun, though. Among other things, he winds up a captive - for years! - and finds treasure only to be cheated out of it, and... well, you know, adventures! And escape, and a shipwreck... Will he ever find home and safety? Check it out!

[There's a 1955 film version directed by Fritz Lang, and a 2013 mini-series as well.]

I left this book, bagged against the elements, on a bench along the waterfront trail at Haggetts Pond at around 1, while geocaching in the area. Hope the finder enjoys the book!

*** Released for 2014 One Word Title challenge. ***

*** Released for 2014 Travel challenge. ***

*** Released as part of the 2014 Movie release challenge. ***