With Larsen taken prisoner, Maud and Humphrey leave their huts behind and move into the Ghost. Larsen is severely debilitated: The entire right side of his body is paralyzed. Humphrey and Larsen talk of philosophy like they used to, with Larsen stubbornly rejecting Humphrey’s comforting idea of an immortal soul. With the right side of his face paralyzed, Larsen’s smile is twisted. He promises not to smile again: “I smile internally, with my soul, if you please, my soul. Consider that I am smiling now” (269). Humphrey agrees to remove Larsen’s handcuffs. After another stroke impairs Larsen’s speech, he begins to write out his thoughts.

Winter arrives. Humphrey continues to work on the masts despite the weather while Maud focuses on sewing canvas for the sails, cooking their meals, and taking care of the weakened Larsen. Finally, after a long season, Humphrey and Maud get the boom steady on deck, and the ship is closer to being able to sail.

Then, Maud notices something is burning. They are dismayed to realize that Larsen has started a fire in the steerage in a last attempt to destroy the Ghost. Humphrey rushes below deck and encounters billowing smoke. He quickly rescues Maud from the smoke after she is unable to follow him, discovers that Larsen set fire to the mattress in the bunk above, and successfully puts out the fire.