Smuggler's Gold

Fishing boat captain "Pop" Hodges and his crew, Chet Blake and Hank Peters, rendezvous with foreigners to make an illegal sale of gold, supplied by wealthy mine owner Arthur Rayburn. Back in town, diver Mike Sloan returns to Susan, his fiancée and Pop's niece, after three months in a hospital recovering from a diving accident that claimed his partner. Mike confides in Susan that he is still frightened of the water, but Susan reassures him that Pop will help him find work fishing until his confidence is restored. That evening, Rayburn visits Pop to pick up the money from the sale, and Pop complains that his share is too small. Rayburn insists that he has the expenses of running the mines to consider. Later at the pier, Pop meets Chet, who reports that Peters is drunk and demanding a higher pay-off. While they go in search of Peters, he makes his way to Pop's office. Strolling on the pier a few moments later, Mike hears Peters drunkenly banging at Pop's door, but when he attempts to calm Peters, a fight breaks out. Pop returns to find Peters stunned and orders Mike to retrieve a first aid kit from the office. While Chet watches nearby, Peters revives and insists that Pop increase his profit, but Pop kills him. Mike returns and is horrified to find Peters dead, but Pop declares the fight was an accident and not Mike's fault. Distressed, Mike allows Pop to talk him into placing Peters' body in a dinghy, rowing out to sea and dropping it overboard. Two weeks later, Coast Guard officer Frank Warren reports that Peters' body has been discovered and there will be an investigation. Mike, now working for Pop, receives a visit from George Brewster, a representative of an underwater salvaging and repair company run by a friend in Hawaii, who enthusiastically offers him a job. Although Susan is delighted at the possibility, believing it will speed up the date of their marriage, Mike remains unsure of his diving ability and is secretly haunted by Peters' death. With Pop's encouragement, however, Mike decides to accept the job and leave the very next day with Susan. Aware of the gold smuggling ring, the police question Pop and Chet about any unusual boats in the area, and the men remain nervous knowing that Rayburn has arrived in port with the next gold shipment. Because of the police presence on the docks, Pop places Rayburn's gold in his supply shed and again demands a higher cut. Rayburn promises that after the next delivery is made, they will discuss a new arrangement. Excited about the impending move, Mike visits the shed to examine his diving equipment and discovers the gold. Crestfallen by Pop's involvement, Mike declares that he will leave and tell Susan nothing. In order to ensure Mike's silence, however, Pop insists that Mike postpone his departure and join them on the gold delivery. When Mike refuses, Pop mentions that Chet witnessed Mike's assault on Peters, so Mike gives in. Mike tells Susan he feels bad about leaving Pop just before a big day of fishing, and she reluctantly agrees to call Brewster for a one-day postponement. The next day, Pop's boat, the Anchorage , is approached by the Coast Guard, prompting Chet to try and dump the gold. Pop remains calm and, after the Coast Guard boat comes aside, Frank asks if he might fish with them all day. Later after returning Frank to his boat, Pop decides to dump the gold, place a marker at the location and return the next day after telling Rayburn that they panicked and unloaded the gold in fear of the Coast Guard. Pop then tells Mike he will have to postpone his departure yet again in order to dive for him the next day. Mike startles Pop by agreeing, then demanding a huge cut, claiming that Pop cannot trust any other diver. That evening, Pop tells Rayburn the Anchorage was searched, thus forcing the disposal of the gold. Rayburn's men search the Anchorage and the shed and upon finding Mike's diving suit, conclude that Pop intends to retrieve the gold on his own. The next day, having calculated where Pop dropped the gold, Rayburn and his men watch from the town's high point while Pop, Mike and Chet set off. Susan contacts Frank to tell him of the plan, revealing that Mike confided in her the night before and promised to stall during his dive as long as possible. Having known of Rayburn's part in the ring, the police arrest him, then Frank, Susan and the Coast Guard go after the Anchorage . Meanwhile, Mike overcomes his nerves and makes the dive, then pretends he cannot find the gold until Pop threatens him over the radio. Once Mike sends the gold up, Pop attempts to unhook his oxygen tube, but Chet protests. Pop shoots Chet, disconnects Mike and makes a frantic effort to get away, before the Coast Guard shoots and kills him. Frank and the men rescue Mike, and before dying, Chet summons Susan to reveal that Pop killed Peters and that Mike is blameless. The next day, Mike and Susan depart for Hawaii and look forward to a happy future together.