IN QUEST.

"Man overboard!"

That cry, which those who have once heard it will never forget, echoed
far and wide through the ship, making itself heard above the dull roar
of the sea, the whistling of the wind as it tore through the rigging,
the creaking of the timbers, and the trampling of feet up and down the
deck, as the crew bustled to and fro, slackening a sheet here,
tightening a brace there, and preparing for emergencies, ready for
anything that might happen.

"Man overboard!"

And, in an instant, every heart palpitated with one thought, every ear
was on the qui vive, every eye turned, intently watching the captain as
he gave the necessary orders for bringing the ship up to the wind--as it
was far too squally and risky work for her spars and top-hamper to wear
her, before she could pay off on the other tack--and retrace her course
in her own wake to pick up the two boys, who were now out of sight.

"Stand by the lee braces, and be ready to slacken off on the
weather-side! 'Bout ship! Up with the helm! Mainsail haul!" were some
of the orders rapidly given and as rapidly attended to.

With a will, the great main-yard swung round to starboard, the _Sea
Rover_ paying off handsomely. And, in another moment, under her reefed
topsails and topgallantsails, with her courses dropped, and her yards
sharply braced up, she was going back on her track at even greater speed
than she had been previously travelling towards Australia, the wind
having shifted to the southwards and eastwards after the last squall,
and being now well on her beam, which was the clipper's best sailing
point.

There was a lookout on the fore-topmast crosstrees; but almost every one
was looking out in the direction where some trace of David and Jonathan
might be discovered. And the minutes seemed lengthened into hours as
they anxiously peered into the mass of slatey-brown water in front and
around topped with yeasty foam. But the sky was overcast with
storm-clouds and the darkening of approaching night, and their horizon
was now limited so that they could not see very far in advance of the
_Sea Rover's_ bows--not more than a mile at most.

Every voice was hushed on board the ship now, and only the humming of
the wind and the swish of the water could be heard as she dived every
now and then over her catheads into the waves, that fell in a cataract
of spray on her forecastle and washed into her waist, while she dashed
onward, gathering speed