Doctor North, after much effort, is able to produce a mixture of natural substances, primarily ginger, which provide some relief from the unpleasant effects of seasickness.
Although not fully recovered, Miss Davenport does feel somewhat better.
While the passengers are engaged in this necessary business, the men of the
Celerity are busy keeping the swift and reliable little ship under control, as the storm continues to rage. A few mutterings may be heard that it would have been best to remain in port, but the master is one who never neglects his duty. The mail to France must go through in a timely manner! As a particularly strong gust of wind sends the vessel twisting and rocking in the waves, the master takes the wheel from his steersman and battles the elements for control.
To no avail! The master loses control of the wheel. He stumbles back and falls upon the deck. The wheel spins madly as the ship rushes northward at the mercy of the wind. The steersman makes his way back to his post, fighting the gale with every step. With a whispered prayer he attempts to take control of the wheel before the packet loses its way entirely.
It seems that Neptune smiles upon him. The steersman's mighty arms grip the wheel and wrestle it back into his command. The other members of the crew pull the master to his feet. "We must make our way to France by the easiest route. Have the pilot plot a course for a harbor we can reach with this blasted wind fighting us all the way."
With a shout of "Aye," the message is conveyed and the necessary calculations made under conditions which are not conducive to mental efforts.
Perhaps suffering from the effects of seasickness himself, the pilot's route is not as accurate as it might be. Having attempted to reach the French harbor of Dunkerque, the
Celerity instead reaches the continent some distance to the north, well within the Austrian Netherlands. Although nominally under the control of the Habsburgs, this region serves primarily as a barrier against French aggression towards the Dutch Republic. Given the multiple wars and rebellions that have raged in the area for many years, foreigners are often viewed with suspicion.
The steersman is able to find a small natural harbor where the
Celerity may rest. The passengers are able to reach land safely, albeit in a wet and disheveled condition. The master commands his crew to make the necessary preparations for a return to England on the morrow. The weather having cleared, the adventurers will be able to dry themselves and their possessions in the warmth of the setting sun. They will, of course, remain aboard for the night, but by the time dawn appears they will have to decide whether they will return with the packet and attempt once more their journey to the Continent from the beginning, or whether they would prefer to remain here, in the hope that they will be able to make their way to France on land. In the latter case, the master of the
Celerity will entrust the mail to their care.