THE LAND OP THE DANCING CRANE. 7 



and gave them all a lively few moments, dodg- 

 ing its tail. Paublo now took it in hand, and 

 before long a rich odor floated aft that told of a 

 coming dinner and a good one. 



Other kingfish were caught during the after- 

 noon, the ground proving, as Paublo had said, 

 one of the best. When the boys had wearied 

 of hauling in big fish they joined the doctor, 

 who told them something about Garden Key — 

 their destination and home for months to come, 

 and, as it turned out for the doctor and Tom, a 

 residence of six or seven years. 



"In 1818," he began, "Florida belonged to 

 Spain ; but in the following year it was pur- 

 chased by our Government for five million dol- 

 lars. This was considered a large sum at the 

 time, but at present, with its valuable fisheries 

 on the reef, the orange-grove industry of the 

 main-land, the harbors and resorts, it is seen 

 to have been very cheap ; in fact, Key West 

 alone could not be purchased for that sum. 



"Having obtained the new possession, our 



Government found it necessary to fortify it ; so 



in 1847 the central island of the Tortugas group 

 2 



