Aboard the English gunship Lido in the Caribbean, orders are received from the Admiral of the fleet to intercept a French ship, the Gloire, and also to hunt down a pirateer, a ship which sails under the name of The Slapping Sal, captained by mutineers under the leadership of the notorious villain, Hairy Hudson.

It is not many hours before Lido finds herself engaging with both of these ships, in a breathtaking and bloody sea-battle which ends in a most unusual way.