The sixteenth volume in the popular John Pearce Adventures set on the high seas

1796: John Pearce is stuck with a difficult mission - a raw crew of Quota Men forced to enlist in the Royal Navy and four brand-new midshipmen as well as Samuel Oliphant, companion cum spy, whom he finds a constant irritant. In his favour he commands the sound and speedy warship HMS Hazard, a pair of competent officers and, of course, his trusty old friends the Pelicans. Their primary mission is to head for the Mediterranean Fleet and warn Admiral Sir John Jervis of impending danger he will face fighting a combined French/Spanish fleet. But there is a serious distraction: the imminent arrival of a Spanish vessel from South America carrying silver, for which the Spaniards are waiting before declaring war. Stop that and they will lack the funds to truly engage as an enemy of Britannia - but it is a distraction from Pearce's main task and specific orders. Can he resist the lure of such a valuable capture and risk his ship in a dangerous battle to gain it, or will his duty come first?