During a feast, an American schooner arrives at the island and offers liquor and trinkets, such as pocket watches to the natives if they sign a form they can not read, which forces them to work in terrible conditions in the phosphate mine on the island of Patua for the Olympic Mining Company.

Due to the schooner's deception, a major conflict arose between the islanders and the Westerners, making Taro stand up against the intruders, but is forcibly taken to work in the mines, and Lilleo is taken back to Tofua to marry the chieftain.

During a mine collapse, Taro risks his life to save his supervisor, which greatly impresses his captors.

They bring her back to the schooner, and Taro follows suit but is imprisoned by the French authorities in a dilapidated prison.

During a hurricane, the prison roof flies off, and Taro escapes to the schooner, which is abandoned by all except Lilleo.