Chapter 8 Summary

Aubrey takes Ariel in search of a suitable ship to capture and use as Maturin's conveyance. Maturin feels that any strange warship approaching Grimsholm would be fired upon and sunk—thus Aubrey searches for a local transport or small vessel likely to be known to Grimsholm as friendly or at worst neutral. Samaurez points Aubrey in the right direction to encounter a local ship. Ariel eventually sights Minnie, a local transport known as a fast sailor. He gives chase and gradually gains on the fleeing vessel. Meanwhile another Royal Navy ship, humorously named Humbug, joins the chase. It is a close thing and Minnie nearly escapes before accidentally running slowly aground on a mud flat. Several French officers immediately take to a boat and attempt escape—after warning them several times and in several languages, Aubrey opens fire and destroys the...