A series of interlinked short stories follows Billy Harman, a weathered seafarer whose simple, guile-streaked nature leads him into schemes, romances, and peril among Pacific ports and islands. Encounters with figures such as the calculating Davis and the obstructive Penhill propel episodes of theft, pearl-hunting, narrow escapes, and the making and unmaking of fortunes. Vivid island settings, maritime detail, and a tone that mixes tenderness and roguish humour explore the pull of the sea, the improvised ethics of beach-combers, and the capriciousness of chance in seaborne life.