The Wreck of the Mary Deare

A phantom cargo ship, the Mary Deare, is spotted adrift in a fierce English Channel storm by the Sea Witch. The salvage crew boards and discovers the vessel is under the command of Gideon Patch, not the presumed late captain. John Sands arrives with the intention of claiming the ship for himself and his partner, but the immediate conflict is establishing who is in charge.

Sands tries to claim the Mary Deare for himself after boarding, arguing for salvage ownership. Patch remains in command for four days since Captain Taggart's death and refuses to let the ship be claimed by outside interests. He insists the ship must wait for a proper inquiry rather than be sold off at sea.

When Sands cannot return to his tug due to the worsening storm, Patch pulls him back aboard the Mary Deare, saving his life. To keep the vessel above water, Patch orders the crew to stoke the boilers and bring the engines to speed. Sands reluctantly agrees to stay on board and aid Patch in running the ship.

Patch decides to ground the Mary Deare in shallow water near the Minquiers to safeguard it for a formal board of inquiry in England. He weighs the risk of breaking apart in deeper water against preserving evidence, effectively turning the ship into a protected witness. The plan buys time but makes a clean recovery more difficult.

Back on land, Higgins and the surviving officers allege Patch gave an unnecessary order to abandon ship. They point to a lost boat containing nondominant officers as evidence against Patch. The affair quickly becomes a public controversy, with the owner’s claim looming over Patch and Sands.

News and insurance interests intensify the pressure as the shipowner files a multimillion-dollar claim for the loss. The press hammers Patch and Sands while the inquiry looms, framing the dispute as greed versus truth. Patch remains allied with Sands despite the mounting scrutiny.

Patch visits Captain Taggart's daughter Janet, who lends him a page from her father's Rangoon letters. The page hints that Taggart and Higgins had reasons to suspect something was wrong in Rangoon. The clue nudges Patch toward understanding the larger conspiracy.

Patch explains that Higgins and the shipowner conspired to siphon high-value cargo from the Mary Deare during Rangoon. They staged fires and an explosion to ensure no distress signals could reach help. Taggart's deteriorating steadiness appears as part of the mounting pressure on him.

The board of inquiry begins, but Patch is cut off as the owner’s lawyer presents Higgins’ version as the credible record. The judges do not allow Patch to read his account into the record, effectively sidelining his testimony. The proceedings tilt toward the conspiracy narrative.

Desperate to expose the truth, Patch attempts to steal the Sea Witch to reach the Mary Deare, but Sands and Mike intervene before he can depart. The confrontation underscores the high stakes and Patch's willingness to bypass formal channels. The three men continue to pursue the truth together.

Patch and Sands don diving gear and enter the Mary Deare through a hole blown in the hull, checking the cargo. They confirm the engine crates are ballast stones, not engines, proving the cargo was misrepresented. The discovery strengthens Patch's case and implicates Higgins' gang.

Higgins is exposed by the salvage crew and authorities, and the truth about the conspiracy emerges. Sands tells Patch he is in line for a substantial reward but declines, saying his goal was to prove the truth and maintain his master's ticket to command another ship. The case ends with justice served, but at the cost of the ship and the vindication of Patch.