The Doctor, Ben and Polly

The TARDIS arrives on the coast of seventeenth-century Cornwall - much to the astonishment of The Doctor’s new companions Polly Wright and Ben Jackson.

There they find pirates, from the Black Albatross who are led by the vicious Captain Samuel Pike and his henchman Cherub and who are searching for a hidden treasure. At the same time a smuggling ring is in operation, masterminded by the local Squire, who is trying to offload contraband. They also meet a worried churchwarden, and former pirate, Joseph Longfoot, who lives in fear of the ‘Avery's boys’.

After helping the churchwarden The Doctor becomes the lone witness to the revelation of the location of a buried treasure. Joseph Longfoot gives The Doctor what is known as a ‘Deadman's secret key’ – the cryptic rhyme: ‘Smallwood, Ringwood, Gurney’.

Pirates Land on the Beach

The Doctor catches up with his two companions and they head off to the local inn to find rooms for the night unaware that the churchwarden has another visitor. This time it is Cherub. It seems that Pike is convinced that Longfoot has the treasure or knows where it is hidden. However, when the churchwarden does not co-operate, Cherub kills him – but not before revealing about the three travellers who visited Longfoot earlier.

When the churchwarden’s dead body is discovered the locals immediately suspect the three strangers at the inn. The local Squire, who is called to adjudicate, ends up charging Ben and Polly with the murder. However, they all manage to escape from the inn but in their haste they find themselves split up from each other.

Polly cradles a Wounded Ben

Ben finds himself back at the church but his hiding place is discovered by Josiah Blake - a revenue man tracking the local smugglers. The Doctor though is less fortunate as he ends up being kidnapped by Pike's men and is taken to the Black Albatross. Despite trying to bargain his freedom with Pike, The Doctor finds himself kept aboard ship while the captain goes ashore so as to meet up with the Squire. Pike is hoping that the Squire will give him protection while he searches for Avery’s treasure.

It turns out though that the greedy Squire is the organiser of the local smuggling ring and so offers to cut Pike and his pirates in. However, they are interrupted by Polly, who has come to implore the Squire to help her find The Doctor. She is shocked to see him in the company of the kidnapping pirate Cherub and is forced to return to the church where they discover Ben with Josiah Blake.

So as to put the pirates and the Squire off, Josiah Blake pretends to arrest Ben and Polly – even though he has deduced the truth about the pirates and the Squire but lacks the manpower to arrest them.

Polly Screams

The Doctor has meanwhile escaped from the ship and meets up with his friends in the churchyard. It is not long though before a vengeful Pike returns with the rest of his pirates and threatens to pillage the entire village in his search for Avery’s treasure. To save the villagers The Doctor reveals that the cryptic rhyme refers to names on tombstones in the church crypt - and so the treasure is uncovered.

At this point an armed patrol of militia arrives - having been summoned by Josiah Blake – and a fight ensues. Aided by the injured Squire - who repents of his sins - Josiah Blake kills Pike, and the pirate force is routed. As the battle dies down, The Doctor and his companions slip away back to the safety of the TARDIS.