previous year with the discovery of the Looe and the other 

 wrecks near Marathon. 



Together, he and Ed had worked out an arrangement 

 whereby, with Pete's knowledge and help, Sea Diver 

 would be used to search for and dive upon whatever 

 wrecks the two men might consider of historical value. 

 Pete planned to spend his vacations and as much addi- 

 tional time as was necessary collecting relics from these 

 discoveries, to augment those from the previous expedi- 

 tion, which had already created a tremendous interest 

 among the thousands who had viewed them in the ro- 

 tunda of the Smithsonian. 



Actually, Pete was the complete answer to what all di- 

 rectors of modern museums are looking for. He was young 

 and enthusiastic, an inveterate collector of everything, but 

 especially interested in coins and old armament. His head 

 was packed with an impressive fund of historical facts and 

 figures, which he produced freely and easily upon demand. 

 In addition, we found him to be a willing and helpful 

 crew member and a most entertaining companion. 



Nellie, his plump, pretty wife, a member of the staff 

 of the Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian, 

 where she spent her days classifying sea life, made the 

 final perfect member of our crew, for in addition to her 

 other talents she liked to cook. 



Two unsuccessful efforts to explore the reefs off Key 

 Largo in high winds proved the futiHty of trying to do 

 any searching until the seas calmed, so we headed Sea 

 Diver for Marathon and spent the next few days at Bill 

 Thompson's dock, chafing at our ill luck. Pete and Ed were 

 indeed discouraged, for Pete's allotment of time was fast 

 dwindling away. Their spirits brightened, however, when 

 Ed received a phone call from a diving acquaintance, Jack 



The Florida Keys 63 



