In the mid-18th century, an old sailor who identifies himself as "The Captain" starts to lodge at the rural Admiral Benbow Inn near Bristol. He tells the innkeeper's son, Jim Hawkins, to keep a lookout for "a one-legged seafaring man".

Before he dies, he entrusts Jim with a map to lost pirate treasure. Jim must find the treasure while avoiding capture by pirates intent on finding their buried plunder.