626 
FOREST AND STREAM 
December, 1917 
A group of sport-loving business men interested in organ¬ 
izing an exclusive Florida Fishing Club have acquired an at¬ 
tractive club house and grounds on Anna Maria Key 
FLORIDA’S BEST FISHING SECTION. 
Sportsmen wishing to spend all or part of the winter months 
- where Tarpon and other game fish are more than plentiful, 
are invited to write for particulars. 
ORTLEYS 
(continued from page 595) 
hanging on the wall, and presently in some 
way father made it known that I played 
the violin. The old fiddle was at once 
handed me, and I was urged to play. It 
was a villainous instrument, and my heart 
sank when I tried to tune it, but there was 
no escape, so presently I was doing my 
“poor best.” I gave them “The Devil’s 
Dream,” “Sailor’s Hornpipe,” “Arkansaw 
Traveller,” “Suwanee River,” “Old Ken¬ 
tucky Home,” etc. I know now that it 
was a very poor performance, but Ole 
Bull at his best never made a greater hit. 
I played my “repertoire” over and over, 
and still they called for more. For sev¬ 
eral years the old fiddle was a nightmare 
to me, when finally after a very damp sum¬ 
mer it fell apart, and bothered me no more. 
After the “concert” father had gone to 
the barn to 'look after the horses; pres¬ 
ently he came in and said, “Come outside, 
son.” I followed him out. It was a beau¬ 
tiful November night; the sky was studded 
with twinkling stars, and a faint breeze 
was blowing from the west. “Listen,” said 
father, and lo, the night air was vibrant 
with the voices of the myriads of feeding 
wild fowl. The “gabble” of the geese, the 
quacking of mallards and black ducks, the 
thin whistle of the widgeons, the “purr” 
of broad bills and red heads, the soft 
whistle of the pin tail, all combined to 
make a chorus that I would go many a 
mile to hear again. 
THE FISHING CLUB 
Box 26, FOREST AND STREAM 
9 East 40th Street NEW YORK CITY 
FOR .SALE 
Unusual country property, greenhouse and florist 
business in Point Pleasant, New Jersey 
The property consists of one half acre of good, rich cultivated 
soil with hardy stock, fruit trees, two grape arbors and dwelling 
house of four rooms and cellar, city water, and greenhouse 54 ft. by 
18 ft., heated by a Lord and Burnham hot water furnace. Sale price 
is $2,500. The place must be seen to appreciate its value. For 
terms and particulars address Box 252, Point Pleasant, N. J. 
W E were around betimes the next 
morning. Father and I were on 
our way to “Stooling Point” before 
it was daylight, while Uncle William went 
to “West Point.” In those days hundreds 
of “mud broad-bills” and “dippers” fed in 
the cove, and the continual “spatter, spat¬ 
ter” of their rising in front of the “sneak 
box” made me quiver with excitement. In 
a short time we reached the point, and 
there father initiated me in the secrets of 
blind making, and how to place the decoys. 
Soon we were ready, and took our places 
in the blind. Ducks were constantly pass¬ 
ing, but none came near us until the sun 
was up, and then father said, “Here comes 
a single black duck; she is going to decoy, 
and you take her when I give the word.” 
On came the duck with curved wings right 
over the decoys, with her big feet out¬ 
stretched. She poised to alight. “Now,” 
said father; and as I rose she sprang in 
the air as black ducks always do, but I 
had been posted; up came the gun until the 
sight was well above the flying bird, and 
at the report, the duck collapsed. I had 
killed my first black duck, “dead as a mack¬ 
erel,” as father proudly said. We had 
moderate success during the day, I taking 
the singles that came our way. Some I 
“bungled,” others I killed in good shape, 
on the whole shooting fairly well for a 
boy, and so passed the time until the last 
day of our stay. That morning Mike came 
to me and said, “Don’t go with your father 
today. I’ll take you to a place where you’ll 
kill more than any of ’em. I seen where 
there was a lot feeding in the “Crab Pond” 
last night, when I was after the cows, and 
I’ll put you in the right place. Henry, Neil 
ain’t going with you today. You leave 
half a dozen “stool” (there were no decoys 
