Chapters 6, 7, and 8 Summary

Leighton's squadron escorts a convoy of merchant ships over the open sea. Hornblower, typically, becomes violently seasick and fusses about the ship in a foul mood. The performance of Sutherland's crew is embarrassing, but the ship manages to keep station. The strictly-disciplined military officers find the Indiamen's laxity in station-keeping and signals exchange to be irritating, and even potentially dangerous. The entire convoy proceeds to a departure point and then splits into three smaller convoys. Sutherland escorts six Indiamen, including Walmer Castle, Lord Mornington, and Europe, southward. The passage is made very rapidly through heavy weather. The Indiamen's seemingly deliberate straying and ineptness at signals exchange often exasperate Hornblower.

As the group of seven ships passes Brest, two French luggers sally and circle the merchant ships. Either of the luggers alone would pose no threat whatsoever, but they move to opposite...