In fact, he is an orphan and willing accomplice to con artists Jim Hampstead (George Zucco) and Doris Clandon (Gale Sondergaard), who took him in when his parents died in a train wreck.

Despite excelling in sea knowledge from his previous education, Geoff is not interested in fitting in; he only wants to return to London to be reunited with Doris and Jim, although he waits in vain for a letter from them.

When he refuses to inform on Geoff to excuse his actions, he is stripped of his rank and, worse, loses his chance of getting one of five coveted jobs offered the boys on the luxury liner RMS Queen Mary.

Geoff confesses his runaway attempt to Captain Briggs, knowing it could mean being sent to the reformatory, so that Terry might possibly be reinstated for the Queen Mary.

When Doris and Jim finally manage to contact Geoff, he refuses to go back to his crooked life, and tells them he is going to sail on the Queen Mary.