Evening star., 1922-04-30

| the noble Hilliard. I'm going to ask
him II they're whales
And Hilliard almost lost his solemn
| dignity. mo. ma'am." says he. They're
just porpoise. Lots Of 'em out here." i"
So We turned to watching the peli-
| cans. I can watch a pelican for hours
and every now and then get a fresh
chuckse out OF him-or maybe her.
Anyway. they're tho Charlie Chaplins
Of the feathered kingdom, for every
move they make Is funny First we'd
see one with his wings set. planning
Just above the water. and gazing down
his long beak as sad as II he was
on his way to explain why he hadn't
paid his income tax. Then all Of q
sudden he would bank sharply. go up
40 or 50 feet, and do a nose dive
that would take him clear under water
with big splash: a second later and up
he'd come. give a swallow or two as
he gulped down a fish. and then he'd
turn one eye on US with sort of q
calm. satisfied stare. Never seemed to
miss, either. But I think his most
humorous stunt Is when he takes of
from a sitting start and flaps his feet
Just as though he was trying to push
the air from under him. And with his
neck wabbling, too and his long bill
stuck straight out, he certainly looked
silly. The black cormorants can get
on a foolish look, too, when they're
sitting on a channel port OF harbor
buoy watching a boat go past. but In
action they're rather graceful.
We got our real thrill. though. when
we saw a big silver scaled fish leap out
of the water, turn in the sunlight, and
disappear.
"By Georger says Barry. THAT
must have been a tarpon."
X X 4 +
A ND for once he was right. At least.
"A Hilliard agreed with him.
Nothing else happened for hours and
hours. except that we were called for
luncheon and went down for our first
real cruising meal in the cozy little
dining saloon. Then. late in the after
noon, we headed toward the land. ran
into a pass through a winding channel
with sand bars on either side, dropped
in behind little island and anchored.
"where's this, captain?" asked Barry.
rAnna Maria Key, SIR" says Capt
Mears.
'Then I take It that Anna isn't at
home?" says I. for there was nothing
in sight but bare sandy beach and
q bunch Of mangrove bushes.
''No, ma'am," says he, staring at
me a bit disgusted. THAT'S Just the
name Of the key"
Aside from that, it was all lovely and
calm and peaceful. We watched the
sun sink into an empty eastern sky,
saw the bay take on shades Of lavender
and gold, waited until the engineer
mate hoisted the riding light to the top
Of the signal mast, and then went
below for dinner.
'Say!" exclaims Barry. This is
the life. eh?"
We all agreed that It was. That is.
all except 1nex.
81 don't see any houses or anything" /"
says she. "And I saw that captain
squintin' through some glasses. May
be he's lost"
"Foolish!" says Uncle Nels. HE
knows. We're at that Anna Key place" T"
"But where we go now?" demands
Inez. From hereT'
'Down." says Uncle Nels. waving
vague hand.
"Ahv' says Ines. "That's all right
then, II you know"
And having settled that important
question. she proceeded to tackle the
tomato bisque.
And that's the way we started our
cruise in the Pyxie.
zdbe etaoi shrdl etaof shrdl etaoi aoinn
Copyright, 1922, by ssweIl Ford. i.