The crew instinctively moved back to a position close to the master, and both, with mixed feelings of alarm and curiosity, concentrated their gaze upon the strange sight that had aroused them. "I've been running to Baltimore these ten years, John Washington," said the Captain to the crew, "and I've seen queer things on the bay and the river. I'll never forget how them blamed naval fellers from Annapolis frightened me by coming up out of the water with one of them durned submarines. But I'll be blowed if ever I have seen anything to beat this. There warn't no island out there when we run past the Knoll going up." "'Deed there warn't, Cap. Jim. Golly, I'se scared, I is. Ain't you 'fraid it's one of Satan's traps, Cap. Jim? The debbil am mighty cunnin', you knows dat." "Devil or not, John, I'm going to see what it really is." And the captain of the Tuckahoe gave the command "Hard lee!" so as to head the bay craft more directly toward the centre of the mysterious island that they had discovered. It was now about a half mile distant and, as seen in the morning light, low-lying and ten acres or so in extent. Its most peculiar feature to the pair on the bugeye was a grove of tall trees, naked to a height of 60 or 80 feet, and then crowned by enormous spreading leaves, or branches. "Them's powerful funny trees, Cap. Jim," said the colored deckhand, doubtfully. "Never seen anything like 'em in this bay before," replied Captain Cromwell. "I ain't never been in the tropics, John, but they look mighty like pictures of cocoanut palms." "Tropics, Cap. Jim?" "Yes; the West Indies." "In de name of de Lawd, Cap. Jim, how dem trees done get here from de West Indies? Dat a long way off, ain't it?" Captain Cromwell made no reply. He was too intently studying the island. All of a sudden he was startled by his crew sinking on its knees on the deck with an exclamation. He turned and saw the negro's skin blanched with terror. "Fo' de Lawd Gawd, Cap. Jim, dat thing am movin'." "Skidoo, John, skidoo," said the Captain, skeptically. "'Deed an' double-deed, it is, Cap. Jim. You jes' look behind it ober dar at Kent Island." The Captain peered as directed, while the negro eyed him doubtfully. "Great Jehoshaphat!" the white man cried. "You're right, John, you're right. That there island is a-movin' up the bay." "Ain't yer skeered, Cap. Jim?" asked the crew, with a shudder. "'Pears to me it's mighty like de debbil." Captain Cromwell was doubtful himself. He laid his hand on the tiller and was about to change his course when he made a fresh discovery. "There's a man on that island, as I'm a-livin'," he exclaimed. "Whar is he, Cap. Jim?" cried the negro. "Right by that grove of trees, John. He's waving his arms at us. He's standing by some kind of a hut and there's a tall pole with the stars and stripes turned upside down."