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 persuaded to part with
it till morning.

A few days after this, a cry of "Land!" was heard from the mast-head,
and when just before tea the Lee family came on deck it was to watch the
sun set amid clouds of purple and gold, behind the still distant but
distinctly seen shores of the land which was to be their future home. By
the same hour on the following day, the good ship _Columbia_ had
borne them safely across the deep, and was anchored in the beautiful bay
of New York.