The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle Chapter 10 Summary

  • Captain Jaggery retrieves the key to the gun safe from the back of his daughter's portrait. He and Mr. Hollybrass arm themselves heavily.
  • Captain Jaggery forces Charlotte to follow him (and Mr. Hollybrass) to the deck to confront the crew.
  • The crew appears on deck: they're whooping wildly and fully armed. Well, all except for Zachariah.
  • The crew sees Captain Jaggery and his muskets, and they freeze instantly.
  • Charlotte notices an extra member among the crew: a man with one arm. The stowaway! Yes, true, but more precisely, it's Mr. Cranick, the man who Jaggery abused on the last voyage.
  • Jaggery immediately recognizes Cranick, and the two face off. Cranick pulls out a round-robin and declares Jaggery unfit to captain the ship.
  • In turn, Captain Jaggery pulls out his gun and shoots Cranick in the chest.
  • With the crew in shock, Captain Jaggery is able to get them all to drop their weapons. Mr. Hollybrass collects the guns as well as the round-robin.
  • The captain orders Zachariah to throw the body overboard without any Christian burial. Zachariah protests, so Jaggery orders Mr. Hollybrass to do so. He protests as well, but eventually does so.
  • Captain Jaggery demands that the second in command to Mr. Cranick be punished. When no one speaks, he asks Charlotte to pick someone. She merely shakes her head. Captain Jaggery, then, calls for Zachariah to take the punishment.