Marsovino and Pinocchio traveled swiftly. They passed a strait, crossed a canal, left beautiful lands behind them, and at last came out fearlessly into the great ocean. They never stopped.
When the moon shone they traveled on the surface of the water. If the sky was dark and gloomy, the dolphin plunged deep into the sea. There the two friends had plenty of light. Great medusæ and sun fishes made the water light and bright. Very often, too, the wonderful phosphorescence of the sea aided them in seeing their way. Pinocchio felt satisfied when Marsovino explained the cause of this phosphorescence to him. At first, though, he could hardly believe his ears.
“When the Moon shone they traveled on the Surface of the Water.”
The journey was very peaceful, and nothing came to trouble the two little heroes.
“What is that dark blue streak there, Marsovino?” asked Pinocchio, one day. He was pointing out a wide band of dark blue water, which stood out distinctly from the lighter green of the ocean.
“That? Oh, that is the Gulf Stream,” answered Marsovino.
“The Gulf Stream? What are you talking about? A stream running in the ocean! Water running in water!”
“Yes, of course it is all water. But there is a difference between ocean water and Gulf Stream water. The first, in general, is quiet, the second is moving. That stream is just like a river flowing between two valleys. The waters of the two never mix. If you try, you will find that the ocean is much the colder of the two.”
“But what is the use of it?”