The town of Bluff receives terrible news that Seppala’s team is lost, and rumors circulate that he is attempting to cross Norton Sound, a bay off the Bering Sea that is known to be deadly. With rushing waters below the ice, regular breaks in the ice, and the possibility of plunging into the ocean to never be seen again, concerns grow over the safety of Seppala’s team and the serum.

As cases increase and sick people are not cured, Dr. Welch grows exhausted and overworked. Thankfully, help comes in the form of Nurse Emily Morgan, a World War I nurse and missionary who was working in Nome when the epidemic hit. An illustration shows Nurse Morgan standing outside as a concerned father brings his sick child in his arms to her care. With her experience and ability to stay calm under severe pressure, the rate of new cases decreased. She became familiar with every patient, both those in the hospital and in their homes, and ordered those who were sick or exposed to the sick to avoid contact with healthy people. Volunteers from the Red Cross assist Nurse Morgan and Dr. Welch. They formulate a plan for the order in which to administer the serum to patients when it arrives.