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At dawn on their second day aboard the Nellie J. Banks, Agnes worries over Nicole’s fever and uses Ardua Hall teachings to hydrate her with lemon, tea, salt, and sugar. A thick fog settles in. When a coast guard inspection occurs in Gilead waters, the sisters hide silently until the search passes.

Later, engine trouble leaves the ship drifting in perilous tides. Captain Mishimengo fears being swept either out to sea or into the Bay of Fundy and arrested, especially given his exposure as a Gilead escapee. Agnes recognizes the danger he risks by helping them.

That evening, with Nicole weak and anxious about their mother, Agnes comforts her with assurances of love and offers a prayer for their family and for Aunt Lydia and Becka. Nicole falls asleep. Soon after, Captain Mishimengo wakes them: low power and shifting tides force an immediate offload. They must leave now in an inflatable to reach the Canadian shore; delay could sweep them back or doom the ship.

Bundled in all their clothes, they are lowered into the inflatable with life jackets, a thermos, and a simple solar motor. As fog thickens, Agnes struggles to push off and operate the craft while Nicole uses her good arm to start the motor. They angle across the tide toward distant shore lights.

Mid-crossing, the motor fails—an electrical short or dead battery—and panic edges in. Rejecting despair, Nicole orders Agnes to row. Despite fear and inexperience, Agnes follows Nicole’s shouted instructions, pulling in rhythm as the tide bears them along, their only option to keep rowing toward Canada and away from Gilead.