Bob Roberts & his friend Bully worked nights & saved every penny they could make to buy Thelma, a 27-foot Looe smack, & fit her out for her epic voyage. After testing her out in the North Sea, they headed for Panama, by way of Madeira & the Azores. Australia was in their minds, as times were hard in Engl&. Their plans fell apart in the Cocos islands, where they were shipwrecked, & soon found themselves on a hair-raising voyage with treasure hunters aboard the bluenose schooner, ” Franklin Barnet”.