Following along the lines of Malcolm being on the ship with his father. . . is it possible that Rutherford, being the con artist he was, tried to lure his son over to his side with a fancy trip?
Even today we know parents who will play the love me and I will give you gifts game.
Malcolm on the other hand may have wanted to bury the hatchet and make peace also known to happen in estranged parent/child relationships
The questions are many. The answers are few.