The Man with the Silver Oar by Robin Moore

Stowaway...

In the year 1718, Daniel Collins, a well-brought-up young Philadelphian, can only dream of exchanging his orderly existence as a shipyard apprentice for a life at sea. Daniel is certain he'll never find a way to make his dreams a reality, especially since there's a chance he'll inherit his uncle's successful shipping business one day. When the opportunity arises, Daniel is surprised to find that he has the courage to stow away on a ship bound for southern waters; a ship in search of the pirates who are terrorizing merchant vessels all up and down the Atlantic coast. The Sea Turtle may look docile, but hidden beneath her decks is an arsenal of weapons, and her crew's assignment is to bring down pirates by any means. As a Quaker, Daniel has sworn not to take up weapons against any man. But it's possible that the most dangerous enemy of the Sea Turtle may be someone Daniel knows all too well. Will he cast aside his Quaker principles in order to help defeat the most notorious pirate of his time?

Robin Moore deftly weaves a tale of treachery on the high seas in this coming-of-age adventure that is as exciting as the era in which it is set.