e dressing, they
heard the three knocks he always gave on the deck when he wanted to show
them something. They hurried up, and to their delight found
him-untwisting the cotton strands from the wings of a brownish-black
bird, which had entangled itself in them during the night.

"Oh! what a funny little thing!" cried Annie; "what black eyes! and what
black legs it has!"

"Is that one of Mother Carey's chickens?" asked Tom; "I thought they
were much larger."

"Yes," replied Mr. James, "this is one of the old lady's fowls, and a
fine one, too; her's are the smallest web-footed birds known. Just feel
how plump it is--almost fat enough for a lamp."

"For a lamp!" cried Tom. "What do you mean, Mr. James?"

"Just what I say. Master Tom. I once touched at the Faroe Islands, and
saw Petrels often used as lamps there. The people draw a wick through
their bodies, which is lighted at the mouth; they are then fixed
upright, and burn beautifully."

"How curious they must look!" said Annie.

"Rather so; but now watch this one running on the deck; it can't fly
unless we help it by a little toss up such as the waves would give it."

The odd-looking little thing, whose eyes, beak, and legs were as black
and bright as jet, ran nimbly but awkwardly up and down, to the great
amusement of the children. Annie made haste to fetch her mother and
father, George, and even Willie, who laughed and clapped his hands, and
cried, "Pretty, pretty!" At length Mr. James thought the stranger had
shown himself quite long enough, so taking it up, he threw it into the
air, and it disappeared over the ship's side. Every one ran to get a
look at it on its restless home, but in vain--it could be seen nowhere.

Mrs. Lee, however, was surprised by the color of the water in which they
were then sailing; it was of a beautiful blue, instead of the dark,
almost black hue it had hitherto appeared: immense quantities of
sea-weed were also floating in it. Mr. James informed her that this
water was called the Gulf Stream; a great current flowing from the Gulf
of Mexico northwards along the coast of America. "In the sea-weed,"
added he, "are many kinds of animals and insects; I will try what I can
find for Georgy." So saying, he seized a boat-hook, and soon succeeded
in hauling up a great piece, from which he picked a crab not much bigger
than a good-sized spider. Georgy nursed it very tenderly until he went
to bed, and, even then, could with difficulty be persu