THE BOOK OF THE TARPON 



range for two days here and I lost one of them 

 at Jacksonville." 



"You will have to take another day. I will 

 drop everything here, run down to Boca Grande 

 to-day, give you your fill of tarpon from sun- 

 rise to sunset, and bring you here to-mor- 

 row night." 



"Can't possibly wait over a train. I have 

 simply got to go, and must give up my hope of 

 getting a tarpon." 



"What made you think you could land here in 

 the morning, find me, bag a tarpon, and be 

 ready to start for home, all in one day? Why 

 didn't you wire me, at least?" 



"I did, days ago. Didn't you get my mes- 

 sage?" 



"Here it comes now," said I, as a boy entered 

 the store with a yellow envelope in his hand. 

 "But you must have a tarpon before you leave. 

 We'll try Niggerhead." 



"What's Niggerhead?" 



"It's seven miles down the river and we 

 haven't a minute to waste. My outfit is too 

 slow for the time you can spare and I am go- 

 ing to borrow one of a friend, including the man 



106 



