In The Misty Seas: Appleby
is a young man living in a small and poor country. He has a "guardian," but very little money and must make a difficult choice among few career opportunities. The guardian has found an office position in a third-rate firm for him which he does not like. Then, he and his somewhat spoiled friend Chriss Niven, whose family has taken a liking to Appleby, are sponsored to apprentice on a Behring Strait seal-hunting boat. Seal-hunting was a very difficult, potentially-profitable undertaking up into the 20th century. Gaining respect among hardened sealers will be no small challenge for Appleby.