All the Brothers Were Valiant

Joel Shore returns to New Bedford after three years at sea and learns that his brother Mark, captain of the Nathan Ross, is missing. The ship's owner Asa Worthen offers Joel command of the Nathan Ross so he can search for clues about Mark's fate. Joel accepts the offer and vows to uncover what happened to his brother.

That afternoon, a drunken sailor in a pub claims Mark jumped ship and abandoned his crew. The sailor's companion confirms the story, and Joel confronts both men, striking them in defense of his brother's memory. The moment sets the tone for Joel's relentless pursuit of the truth.

Joel visits Captain Holt and asks for his granddaughter Priscilla's hand in marriage. They marry and immediately depart for the South Seas aboard the Nathan Ross, beginning a new chapter of the voyage. Joel believes the marriage will help him face the dangers ahead.

During the voyage, Joel questions mate Aaron Burnham about Mark's disappearance. Burnham says Mark had been drinking heavily and fighting a fever when he left the ship, leaving the crew behind. The revelation adds weight to Joel's growing resolve to uncover the truth.

After six months at sea, the Nathan Ross nears the island of Tubuai and Joel discovers Mark is aboard. That evening, Mark explains the night he left the ship: he was drunk and feverish, dove overboard, and swam ashore. He was nursed back to health by a beautiful native woman, whom he later marries on the island.

Mark reveals that he has married the native woman who nursed him back to health. Joel and Priscilla learn of the wedding and the transformation in Mark, foreshadowing the changes ahead.

One night, Mark wakes to gunfire and finds his wife has been kidnapped by white men. He bursts aboard the sloop, kills the man attempting to rape her, then confronts Quint and Fetcher, agreeing to join their next pearling expedition.

During a haul, Quint discovers a valuable black pearl, and Fetcher murders Quint for it.

Weeks later, Fetcher murders two native divers and tries to kill Mark. Mark chokes Fetcher to death, but as the couple leaves the island, natives attack; Mark's wife is killed by a native spear and the bag of pearls slips from him into a lagoon.

Back aboard the Nathan Ross, Mark tells Joel he intends to go back for the pearls. Fearing hostile natives, Joel refuses to join him and instructs Mark not to mention the pearls to the men.

Mark tells Joel that he might have married Priscilla himself and implies he could take her away. He also plants seeds of doubt in Priscilla's mind about Joel's courage.

One night, Mark and several mates announce they will pursue the pearls, and Mark demands that Joel turn over his guns. Joel refuses, the crew mutinies, and he orders Mark to end the revolt by throwing firearms overboard. The crew attacks and Mark, determined not to stain his brother's hands with blood, fights on Joel's side but is killed by a whaling harpoon. Joel later writes in his captain's log that Mark had instigated the mutiny but regretted his actions, and Joel and Priscilla reconcile.