CHAPTER IX 

 CHECKMATING A TARPON 



MARCO is the name of a post-office, but 

 the place is called Collier's. Ask 

 any child on the West Coast of 

 Florida about Marco and he will shake his head, 

 but mention Collier and the infant will brighten 

 up and say "Dat's Tap'n Bill!" 



Island, bay, hotel, houses, boat-building plant, 

 and even the atmosphere are, and always have 

 been, Collier's. When Ponce de Leon was ca- 

 vorting about the peninsula, pestering the in- 

 habitants with his inquiries about a spring, he 

 stopped at Collier's. Everybody who goes down 

 the coast stops there. The only way to avoid a 

 long detour around the Cape Romano Shoals is 

 to go through Collier's Bay to Coon Key, and 

 one cannot pass through Collier's Bay without 

 calling at the store. 



135 



