Granted a letter of marque, presumably by the king himself, Captain Tuttle set out on the noble quest of lawful piracy, seizing a hold full of tea and bringing it home to sell. But when he arrived at the dock, the letter of marque mysteriously disappeared, leaving Captain Tuttle holding the bag while his now illegal cargo is seized. Lady Madeleine, whose failing family has made one last gamble on this voyage, will lose everything if the cargo is confiscated. As William Snopes and his colleagues investigate the case, they are thwarted at every turn, leading Snopes to believe that someone very high up in the government has an interest in keeping the truth from coming to light….