tangle is getting worse. Then if he turns back I won't have room
for the rod and you can't turn the canoe."

"Never say die, Ned. If he gets away from you, I'll go overboard and
pick him up."

"The creek's opening out into a big river, Dick. We may land him
yet."

The tarpon stayed in the big river, swimming a mile or so and then
turning back, while Ned put all the strain he dared on rod and line
and, excepting when the tarpon made a rush, Dick held his paddle
still and let the fish tow the canoe by the line.

"We've got all the scales we want," said Dick, "and I move we don't
gaff another tarpon. When we have tired this one so it's through
jumping, let's turn it loose. We don't need it to eat and I hate to
feed sharks with such a beautiful creature."

"Sure!" said Ned. "And if it is as tired as I am it will give in
pretty soon or die."

The tarpon grew weaker, his leaps lower and soon the canoe was held
close to him, while Ned even laid his hands on the tired fish.

"Think we can take him aboard, Dick?"

"I think you can swamp the canoe and break the rod, all right."

"I don't mind swamping the canoe and we can take care of the rod. If
you'll take the rod now, I'll hang on to his jaw and take out the
hook, which I can see in the corner of his mouth. Then, if you will
look out for the rod and balance the canoe, I'll slide that tarpon
over the gunwale--"

"And we will all go overboard together," added Dick.

"No, we won't, but just as soon as we have fairly caught him and got
him in the canoe, we'll slide him overboard again."

Dick took the rod, Ned removed the hook from the mouth of the tarpon
and hoisted its head over the gunwale. The canoe canted over until
water poured over its side, and the attempt would have failed but
for the tarpon which, with a blow of its tail, threw itself up in
the air and fell on top of Ned, who had tumbled into the bottom of
the canoe. The sight of Ned hugging the big fish, which was spanking
his legs with its tail, was too much for Dick, who sat down on the
gunwale of the canoe in a spasm of mirth, and of course the craft
was capsized. Ned clung to the fish for a few seconds until his
captive had bumped him with its head and slapped him with its tail a
few times, when he was glad to let it go. He then joined Dick, who
was holding the rod with one hand and clinging to the canoe with
the other, as he swam to the bank.

On the way back to camp Dick had several fits of laught