In Shanghai, American playboy Howard Vazey becomes reacquainted with Dorothy Daley, an English girl he has not seen in years. At the suggestion of yacht owners Viola and Paul Thorpe, Howard, Dorothy and their friend, Lady Daley, decide to cross the Pacific to the United States. Unknown to them, Ted, the ship's steward, hates the wealthy people he is forced to serve on the yacht and is determined to take his hatred out on them. With his ally, Pete the cook, Ted starts to turn the crew against the passengers. After a devastating storm disables the ship and supplies become low, Ted convinces the crew to mutiny and assumes the position of captain. Because of his harsh treatment, and with water and food running dangerously low, the passengers hatch a plan to escape in the ship's only long boat, but their plan is overheard. That night, when they sneak on deck, they discover that the crew, except for Ted and Pete, have used the boat for their own escape. Howard tries to fight the sadistic Ted but is badly injured. Later, the increasingly delusional Ted, who desires Dorothy, tries to induce her to come to his cabin. That night, Lady Daley suggests that, because their situation is hopeless, they have no choice but to secretly open the seacocks and sink the ship. Paul agrees, but Dorothy begs them to wait one more day. She then sneaks down to Ted's cabin where he has prepared an elegant dinner for her. When he professes his feelings and wants her to respond, Dorothy lashes out at him, screaming that he is insane. Ted then runs on deck and throws himself overboard and is devoured by sharks. Days later, while Ted, Paul and Pete manually work the ship's pump, they see a distant passenger ship and are able to alert it by sending up their last flare.