The story of Dominic, Otto and Pauline Rigonda, three siblings who are blown onto an island after being shipwrecked, and are later joined by the immigrant passengers and crew of a ship that is wrecked on the same island. When the question of government comes up, the little colony chooses a queen, and they work on improving the island for some time, despite internal dissensions, and an attack by savages. But eventually the colony encounters natural forces it cannot resist, and the queen and her family return to England, hopefully to live "happily ever after".

Jarwin is an English sailor who has been shipwrecked. He is stranded on a raft with only his dog Cuffy, and land is nowhere in sight. Their food and water is running out. What can Jarwin do to save his dog's (and his own) life?