Good and bad fortune attends the Shenandoah after she leaves Tristan de Cunha. On the good side, the Yankee Captain Rogers, following in the USS Iroquois with intent to do the Shenandoah harm, heads off to completely the wrong part of the planet. On the bad side, the crew discovers that the propeller is cracked, and they must put into port for urgent repairs.
As if this is not enough, Executive Officer Whittle and Captain Waddell have a bitter disagreement about the dressing of the mizzen top-gallant sheet (whatever that is).