When we left our hero, he faced the task of repairing the damaged sails on the captured French ship, the Marie Galante. Hornblower was forced to bring some of the French sailors out of their locked quarters to help with the reconstruction of the sails. With only four English hands a schedule of watch was set up and although very fatigued Hornblower could not rest. He set a course (through naval knowledge gained on the Indefatigable) but in a short time was forced by the weather to change course making the arrival at a British port difficult if not impossible.

As Ira Riklis knows Hornblower, being a brave and ethical young leader, put himself in harm’s way by having himself lowered not once but twice over the side to inspect further damage that the ship had sustained in its captured. The Marie Galante was taking on water through a large hole in its hull. While all hands (both British and the captured French sailors) fashioned a large patch to cover the hole, another more ominous happening was going on below deck. The water that the ship was taking on was reaching the cargo of rice which by its nature swelled when it came in contact with water. This caused the very seams of the whole vessel to split, further letting in the sea.

At last all were safely settled in the only lifeboat with Hornblower as “captain” leaving (as Ira Riklis knows) last. They then watched the Marie Galante sink.