THE BOOK OF THE TARPON 



I cared to be, I cut it and set fish and fisherman 

 free. 



"I have been thinking of that for an hour," ex- 

 claimed the captain as he turned the canoe to- 

 ward shore. 



When we got back to the channel between the 

 keys the tarpon had ceased to jump and I feared 

 they had gone, but before I had trolled a minute 

 the bait had been taken by a tarpon that made a 

 picturesque fight, but a brief one, for soon the 

 sharks were on its track. There came long, 

 straight runs, followed by two or three wild 

 jumps and a dash to one side. Then I lessened 

 the strain on the line and gave the tarpon its 

 head till the danger from the shark was past. 

 Untrammeled and fresh, the tarpon could play 

 all around the sharks and by watching for 

 danger signs I helped it escape its foes while the 

 Camera-man got the pictures he sought. When 

 the fish grew weaker I pulled the canoe quickly 

 beside it to remove the hook and free the creature 

 from danger. I was all too late, for when within 

 reach of my hand the tarpon rose half out of 

 water, its body already encircled by those rows 

 of cruel teeth that never give up their prey. The 



