Chapter 27, Chapter 28, and Chapter 29 Summary

In chapter twenty-seven, Mary Barton despairs at the news that Will Wilson's ship has already sailed. Charley Jones, however, tells Mary that his mother is confused. He said the ship was tugged down the river by a steamboat, and will need to go over a sandbar before it can sail in the ocean. Mary knows she must catch the ship, and Charley says if they hire a boat they might be able to do it. Charley takes her down to the docks, where Mary negotiates with two sailors, offering them money and her shawl to pawn.

In chapter twenty-eight, the sailors take her out in the boat, but the wind is against them for most of the way and Mary is afraid they will not make it. However, the wind begins to cooperate, and the going is...