The narrative follows two men who survive a shipwreck and make a temporary home on a coral islet, salvaging provisions and awaiting rescue. Their fortunes shift as they join a series of voyages and stays ashore that involve local towns, romantic entanglement, schemes for hidden treasure, and clashes with hostile seekers. Episodes move from quiet reef life to tense landings on eerie islets of skulls, through mutinous encounters and a catastrophic volcanic eruption that scatters ash and alters destinies. The story balances seafaring adventure, suspenseful treasure-hunt action, and the effects of fate and natural disaster on human relationships.