Set against the backdrop of the early 19th century along the Wessex coast, Cutlass and Cudgel follows the adventurous crew of the cutter HMS White Hawk. When the midshipman is captured by a group of smugglers, he forms an unlikely bond with a farm-boy, whose father is involved in the illicit trade. As their friendship faces challenges and misunderstandings, the midshipman ultimately finds a way to escape, while the farm-boy seizes his long-cherished dream of life at sea aboard an Excise vessel. (Summary by RebeccaD)