Chapter 4 Summary

After several days Buckland, Roberts, Bush, and Hornblower assemble in the dark of the cable tier to discuss Sawyer's apparent mental instability. The meeting is obviously perilous, particularly so considering Sawyer's paranoia. The lieutenants discuss the best way to remove Sawyer from command, noting also that the ship's surgeon has declined to declare the captain unfit for duty. Bush considers the likely result—court martial and hanging—if the lieutenants remove the captain. Hornblower states the obvious—that the captain will be vindicated in any court martial and that the lieutenants will be considered mutinous and will hang. The lieutenants agree but continue to voice their opinion that Sawyer is insane and unfit for command. Suddenly Wellard scrambles forward in the dark and raises the alarm—the captain and marines are coming down to the cable tier. The lieutenants...