“Is that land?” asked Nan.
“Yes, it’s an island,” answered Captain Crane.
“Oh, maybe it’s the island where Jack is!” Bert cried.
“Perhaps,” said Captain Crane. “We’ll soon know, for it is not many miles away, though it looks far off on account of the fog and mist. We’ll soon be there.”
He was just going to ring the bell, giving a signal to the engineer to make the boat go faster when, all at once, Mr. Chase, who had helped Freddie catch the fish, came hurrying up out of the motor room.
“Captain!” he cried. “We’ll have to slow down! One of the motors is broken! We’ll have to stop!”
This was bad news to the Bobbsey twins.
[CHAPTER XVI—UNDER THE PALMS]
Cousin Jasper, who had been talking to Mr. Bobbsey, walked along the deck with the children’s father until he stood near Captain Crane, who was now looking through the telescope, across the deep, blue sea, at the speck which, it was said, was an island.
“What’s the matter?” asked Mr. Dent. “Why are we stopping, Captain Crane?”