 In 1840, there s work on the Florida Keys for honest salvagers (like the Claibornes) and outright pirates like King Cutler, who bribes sailors to cause wrecks. When Capt. Stuart s ship is wrecked, Loxi Claiborne rescues him, falls for him, and travels to Charleston to convince the owners the wreck wasn t his fault; company lawyer Steve Tolliver returns with them to Key West to investigate. Tolliver and Stuart s rivalry for Loxi s hand complicates their swashbuckling adventures in pursuit of Cutler, ending in a trial and a dangerous dive for evidence.