In the middle of the Atlantic, on the island of St. Helena, eight-year-old Angus dreams a big dream: He wants to follow in the footsteps of the star researcher Edmond Halley and become his assistant in faraway London. Angus practices for his career as a scientist by counting birds during the day and marking the positions of the stars at night, just as Halley taught him during his visit to the island. When unrest arises under the tyrannical governor, the fulfillment of Angus's dream unexpectedly draws closer: With a secret letter, he is sent as a stowaway aboard a ship to seek the help of the esteemed Mr. Halley in England. An extraordinary novel about the beginnings of the Enlightenment and the touching friendship between a small boy and a great polymath.