CHAPTER XVI 

 TARPON TRAGEDIES 



CAN'T catch those fellers," said the cap- 

 tain. "They're like the tarpon in the 

 pool at Captiva Pass. They ain't fish- 

 in'. They're at some game of their own." 



We attacked the enemy in our usual forma- 

 tion, the captain and I in advance with the canoe, 

 while the Camera-man and Joe followed in the 

 Green Pea. Up and down the channel I was 

 paddled, trailing a beautiful bait, artistically cut 

 from the belly of a mullet. Tarpon jumped all 

 around us, so fearless of our presence that I 

 looked for one to land in the canoe, but not one 

 seemed to see the bait. 



"I told you so," said the captain. "When tar- 

 pon are thataway they won't bite and it's no use 

 tryin' to make 'em." 



That speech of the captain was what the tar- 

 207 



