Final answer:
The master of the ship delivers unwelcome news to Hester, indicating a perilous situation. The ship may be facing a storm or turbulence that could pose a danger to everyone on board.
Step-by-step explanation:
The master of the ship delivers unwelcome news to Hester. It is not specifically mentioned what the news is, but based on the given information it can be inferred that the ship is in a perilous situation. The captain's mention of the ship being 'tempest-tost' suggests that there is a storm or some kind of turbulence that could endanger the safety of everyone on board, including Hester.