In 1870, a Jamaican colonial family sends its children to Britain for proper schooling but their ship is taken over by pirates who become fond of the kids.
The parents of children living in Jamaica, afraid that the kids are growing up uncivilized, decide to send them to England. But during the voyage, the childrens' ship is boarded by pirates and in the confusion the children wind up trapped on the pirate ship. The children view it as a lark, and one of them, a girl named Emily, develops an unusual bond with Chavez, the pirate captain. The superstitious pirates can't wait to unload the kids at the first port, but a tragedy prevents it, and Emily's relationship with Chavez takes a fateful twist.—Anonymous
A hurricane hits Jamaica in 1870. The Thorntons (Nigel Davenport and Isabel Dean), parents of five children, feel it is time to send them to England for a more civilized upbringing and education.
During the voyage, pirates board the ship and the children end up accidentally leaving on the pirate ship. The pirate captain, Chavez (Anthony Quinn) and first mate Zac (James Coburn) do not wish to risk a kidnapping charge and decide to sail to Tampico and leave the children in the safe keeping of Rosa (Lila Kedrova), a brothel madam with a good heart.
Rosa warns the pirates that the law is after them. Since they are innocent of the crimes attributed to them by the authorities - namely, the murder of the children - Chavez and Zac are unconcerned. But then one of the children, John (Martin Amis), slips from a window of the brothel and falls to his death. Rosa does not want any involvement in a potential murder case and tells Chavez to take the remaining children away. The crew feel that the children are unlucky and demand that they be abandoned on the next island. When Emily (Deborah Baxter) falls ill, Chavez refuses to attack a passing Dutch vessel, wishing to ensure that it remain undamaged and fully crewed in order to take Emily to be treated and the children to safety. His men mutiny, lock up Chavez, seize the Dutch boat, and capture its captain (Gert Fröbe).
A Royal Navy cutter appears and the pirates re-board their own ship in panic. Emily is awakened by the bound Dutch captain, who storms frantically into her room holding a knife and, speaking only Dutch, is imploring her to cut his bindings. Terrified, and dazed by the sleeping draughts she has been given by Chavez to soothe her pain, she mistakes his intentions, and stabs him to death. The shocked Chavez intervenes too late and is left with blood on his hands. He and his former crew are taken prisoner and shipped to Britain for trial. Under questioning in court, the barrister twists Emily's words to imply she blames Chavez for killing the Dutch captain. The pirates are sentenced to hanging for this death, instead of merely being imprisoned for piracy.
In the final scene children play innocently by a lake. Emily stands amongst them-staring at a model ship with adult eyes.
