master had gone below to examine the chart.

"We may keep her before the wind again," he said. "All is clear ahead,
for if any of those ugly seas were to break on board, it might play
havoc with the barky."

The longest night has an end. In the middle of the watch, the hurricane
began to abate, and though the seas tumbled and rolled, and leaped and
roared, with almost unabated fury, it was evident that there was much
less wind. At length the fore-topsail was set, closely reefed, and the
ship ran bounding on from sea to sea, as if escaping from the huge
billows which came roaring up astern. Next the foresail was set.
Another sail succeeded, till once more, under her usual sail, in spite
of the heavy sea still running, the ship was hauled up on her course, a
long way out of which she had for some time been running. The sun shone
forth, casting his beams on the white crests of the seas, making them
glitter and shine like frosted silver.

"Well, Grimshaw," said Bill, addressing old Grim, "the sun has come out,
as I said he would, and the hurricane has had its blow, and we shall
have fine weather again presently."

"Don't you be boasting too much about that, youngster," answered old
Grim. "You don't know what is going to happen next, and you will be
laughing on the wrong side of your mouth before long, so look out for
squalls, boy."

No one minded what old Grim said, so these remarks made but little
impression on Bill, and he went about his duties with as much briskness
as ever. Bill was a favourite on board; no doubt about that, both among
officers and men. The lieutenants had applied to have him appointed as
one of the boys in the gun-room. It would give him more work; but Bill
was ready for that at all times.

The sun had set. It was rapidly growing dark, when the watch on deck
were ordered to take a reef out of each of the topsails. Bill and Tommy
Rebow sprang up the mizen rigging, as they were both in the mizen-top,
and were soon lying out on the mizen-topsail yard. They were both in
high spirits, feeling up to anything at the moment. One of the older
topmen was in the lee-earing. Bill was next to him. Tommy came next.
Suddenly the ship gave a tremendous lurch. There was a cry.

"Where's Bill?" exclaimed Tommy, a horror coming over his heart.

"A man overboard! A man overboard!" was shouted from the mizen-top. It
was echoed from below.

At that instant the captain came on deck. In falling,