Story about a child that goes round helping people with his dog

Question

It was a story I read around 10ish years ago though I think the book may have been older than that. It was about a boy who ends up on a ship and is somehow cursed to live forever. He then washes up onshore with his dog and goes around helping people with guidance from an Angel telling him where to go next. I believe he could also talk to his dog but no one else could.

I believe it starts around the 1500/1600s and then moves into the future as they move around places.

If I remember correctly they started out helping a shepherd and then it moves on to them helping some old woman. Here they befriend some young people and help them out as well.

I think it ends with them leaving as a bell goes off.

Answer 1

I believe it is Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, by Brian Jacques

From Wikipedia:

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman is the first novel in the Castaways series by Brian Jacques, published in 2001. It is based on the legend of the cursed ship the Flying Dutchman. A young boy, Nebuchadnezzar (later Neb (shortened) and Ben (reversed)), and his dog, Denmark (named after the country in which he was found and later Den (shortened) and Ned (reversed)), are the lone survivors of the Flying Dutchman, fated to wander the earth forever immortal and youthful, helping those who need aid.

The second and third books in the series, The Angel's Command and Voyage of Slaves, were published in 2003 and 2006, respectively.

The first book was published in 2001.

Mention of the bell at the end of the book:

The deeds to the village are found and Mrs. Winn is able to claim Chapelvale as her property so that it can be saved. However, the angel appears once again and informs Ben and Ned that they must leave Chapelvale and their friends at the sound of a bell. Jon finds a bell in the Almshouse and becomes excited about the discovery. He and Will decide to try the bell out. Ben and Ned run as fast as they can, hoping that if they cannot hear the bell they will not have to leave, but they cannot get away in time and they must move on.