This book was initially published in 1897 as a slightly modified single volume reissue of Collingwood's first two-volume work, "Secret of the Sands or the 'Water Lily' and her crew'" (1879). The narrative starts with a shipwreck close to Weymouth. Harry Collingwood, the hero, pulls the lone survivor from the waves. The survivor informs our hero of a treasure that is hidden on a Pacific island before he passes away. "He tells the young man who saved him, "Poor as I am, it is in my power to make you rich -- aye, beyond the utmost scope of your imagination. And I will. Why should I take this secret to the grave with me?" In order to find the wealth, Harry and his companion Bob order the construction of a boat that is essentially a yacht. Harry and his childhood friend soon set off on an adventure and soon they are brought to realize that even the most comprehensive treasure maps could not reveal all the dangers and difficulties that could possibly befall even the most courageous of treasure hunters. The typical Collingwood fare, including pirates, gales, and the saving of a damsel in distress, is then presented.