THE BOOK OF THE TARPON 



"Sure. What of it?" 



"This one's bound for the same place and I'll 

 bet you a dollar we lose him there." 



"But we're not within two miles of the cut- 

 off." 



"Don't make any difference. This fish is bound 

 for it." 



For about an hour the captain worked hard to 

 make good his prediction. Whenever the tar- 

 pon turned off to one side or even looked back- 

 ward he was fought and worried till his head was 

 again pointed up the stream. Then the canoe 

 dropped back, the line was kept steady and 

 everything made pleasant for the fish. As we 

 approached the point where the cut-off opens to 

 the east, while the river bends to the north, there 

 was excitement in both our craft for the Camera- 

 man and Joe had heard the discussion and taken 

 opposite sides of the question. There was noth- 

 ing in the course of the tarpon to indicate which 

 turn he would take and there was nothing the 

 captain could do to influence the decision. The 

 case was in the hands of the jury and the tail of 

 the tarpon would bring in the verdict. 



On swam the fish, more and more slowly until 

 160 



