Chapters 15 and 16 Summary

The blockade continues into the winter. The changing season brings a change in winds that are favorable for a French attempt at escape. Hornblower concludes that Brest must be watched more closely than ever before. Christmas arrives and passes without a change in the monotonous blockade. Hornblower observes that two French ships—large frigates—appear to be riding at anchor more lightly than previous. He also finds something troubling about the number of French cooking fires in the army encampments. Later, Hornblower talks to the French captain of Deux Frères and learns that the ships are 'armés en flûte'; that is, armed like a flute—the gunports down but the cannon removed. That would explain their riding higher in the water. Hornblower considers the information and writes a letter to the fleet admiral, hinting that...