The village headman, Mr. Tso, explains all to the captain when he arrives: Wilder has been recruited to transport the people of Chiku Shan out of Red China to the British port of Hong Kong. In order to do this Captain Wilder must use a stolen, wood-burning, flat-bottomed, 19th Century stern-wheel riverboat. He will also need to utilize his detailed memory of the China coast to make a handmade chart and use an unreliable magnetic compass by which to navigate. Finally, he must rely upon the determination of the villagers and use their other assets in order to escape.