
Wikipedia
Tintin buys a model ship at the flea market, that several people try to buy
from him. After being broken in a fight between Snowy and a cat, the ship gets
stolen and Tintin investigates Sakharine, one of the insistent buyers who
happen to own a replica of the same ship. Back at his place, Tintin finds a
scroll, that was hiddent in the ship. Tintin is soon after abducted by
Sakharine and taken prisoner on board of the freighter SS Karaboudjan. During
his escape, Tintin meets Haddock, the ship's captain, a drunkard who is also
prisoner of Sakharine; Tintin also discovers that Sakharine is heading to
Bagghar where the third model ship is owned by Omar ben Salaad. They escape on
a lifeboat, are gunned by a seaplane from the freighter; they manage to steal
the plane and evetually crash in the Sahara desert, where Haddock starts
telling the story of his ancestor, Sir Francis Haddock, captain of the
Unicorn, transporting a fortune in gold. The ship was boarded by Red Rackham's
pirates but the captain managed to make it explode after having taken a small
part of the treasure with him. Three model Unicorn ships contain each a
scroll which, when combined, would lead to the treasure. Tintin and Haddock
are rescued from the desert by French légionnaires; they eventually reach
Bagghar where the Castafiore is having a recital for ben Salaad. Her voice
breaks the bullet-proof glass case containing the model ship and Sakharine
then steals it. A lengthy chase ensues but Sakharine escapes with the scrolls.
Thanks to Thomson and Thompson, they reach Europe before Sakharine and attempt
to arrest him when he leaves his ship. After another lenghty fight, Sakharine, who
reveals being the descendent of Red Rackham, is finally arrested. Haddock and
Tintin following the scrolls' indications, finally find the treasure in a
hidden cellar of Marlinspike's castle.