238 ALONG TILE FLORIDA REEF. 



" Why do you call it pepper coral ? " asked 

 Tom. 



" Taste it," was the fisherman's reply. 



Nothing daunted, Tom bit off a portion, and 

 a moment later, concealing his emotion and the 

 tears that stood in his eyes, he handed the coral 

 to Dick, who also fell into the trap. 



The coral Lit the tongue even more than 

 pepper, the smarting sensation lasting some time, 

 and the boys agreed that it was well named 

 and almost as disagreeable as the prickly pear 

 which Harry had essayed to eat without remov- 

 ing the skin, filling his lips with the minute 

 barbs. 



The boys had ridden big turtles and were 

 familiar with them, but they had never spent a 

 night on the beach watching for them, and when 

 supper was over they stretched themselves on 

 the sand to receive their instructions from Long 

 John, who was an old turtle- turner. 



" Turtles ain't particularly smart," he began, 

 " but they're cunning, and you have got to 

 go for 'em jest so. Now, they don't come 

 up till the moon's risen ; then they come in 



