scenes of fussy tugs and squat barges.

At Carlton Terrace one pays well for the subtleties of eating. By
courteous consideration of the waitresses I managed to secure a
much-coveted outside corner table, near to the one reserved for the
lady and her party. I always made it a point to withhold my entrance
until the lady was in the terrace; then I would stroll in alone, take
a seat alone, and show a desire to be alone. They have a very clever
way of serving strawberries at the Carlton. A vine, growing from ten
to twelve large luscious berries is brought on in a silver pot. It is
the acme of luxury. You pick the fresh berries from the vine on your
table, the Terrace supplies quantities of cream, and you pay half a
sovereign--$2.50--for a dish of strawberries. One dish is enough for
the average customer. Every afternoon I ordered five!

Day after day I consumed in strawberries two sovereigns and a
half--$12.50--of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerein's money.
Always tipping the girl a half sovereign which made my daily
strawberry bill come up to three sovereigns ($15). For about ten days
I did this, always at the same time, always being careful to make my
entrance after the lady's party was seated, always ordering the same
number of portions, always giving the girl the same tip. It wasn't
long before I began to be observed. I soon saw that not only the
attendants but the patrons of the Terrace were becoming interested in
my foible. One day as I passed I heard someone say:

"Here comes the strawberry fiend."

I was satisfied. I knew it would be easy now to effect an entrance to
the lady's set. I had been marked as something out of the usual in