Titus, a young boy living near the River Thames over 100 yrs ago, wants only to go to sea as a cabin boy. But a dreadful thing happens -- he breaks a pair of vases in a shop worth ten pounds. So he goes off to work, e.g., in a pickle factory, selling ballad sheets on the street, in a big store, but it all goes wrong for him. Then he helps some removal men and manages to break a piece of furniture. But luckily the break reveals the hidden family jewels and Titus is given a fifteen pound reward -- enough to pay his debts and then go off to sea.