Having just missed the ship in which they had planned to sail home, the travellers book passage on the Henrietta, a cargo ship bound for Bordeaux, even though, by not sailing directly to England, they risk missing their deadline. But, when the ship's captain, Andrew Speedy, falls victim to one of Transfer's traps and needs medical attention, he orders Fog to head for the nearest port. As luck would have, the nearest port is Liverpool, Fog's intended destination.