Galveston Bay, Republic of Texas . . . Caleb Landers and his associates embark on a trading voyage to New York and London aboard their sailing ship Atlantic. A Spanish sea captain and his eight men are booked as passengers. Captain Arredondo has urgent business in Spain, so he asks to charter the Atlantic, but his request is denied. Bored and heavily in debt, Arredondo accepted an assignment to capture and return three rebellious teenagers to Spain. They had run away to Texas to avoid being forced into arranged marriages with rich, elderly Spanish aristocrats. As the Atlantic rounds the tip of Florida, Arredondo and his men take Caleb, his business associates, and the Atlantic's Captain and First Mate captive and then take command of the ship. They change course and head for Spain. When water and food supplies run low, they are forced to stop in the Azores Islands where the Atlantic becomes becalmed. Four ships are sighted. Through his spyglass, Arredondo sees that they are well-manned, sweep-driven ships with cannons. The black skull-and-crossbones flag is hoisted. Pirates The Atlantic is trapped, unable to move as the pirate ships close in. Arredondo fears the worst, but has no idea that Muslim pirates are not his biggest problem. As the battle with the pirates ensues, Caleb and his fellow prisoners escape. They confront the "Spanish pirates" aboard the Atlantic. Arredondo, his men, and the Atlantic's First Mate are killed. Caleb, his associates, and the Atlantic's crew retake the ship. Now they must escape from the pirates, re-provision the ship, and sail to New York. Caleb tells the crew, "We're going to fight as hard as we can to win our freedom and we'll kill as many of these pirate bastards as we must to get away "