CHAPTER IX

SOME AMERICAN EXPERIENCES

To New York on the _Mauretania_--Gambling on ocean liners--A “dear” old gentleman--Phenomenal luck--My suspicions are aroused--I play the part of a private detective--A puzzling proposition--The light that shone by night--My suspicions are confirmed--An artful dodge--A new use for smoke-coloured glasses--Doctored cards--The most beautiful American city-- Los Angeles--Tuna fishing at Santa Catalina--Monsters of 400 lb. weight--The Tuna Club--A record catch--Fishing with kites--Wild goat stalking--Outwitting a gambler--Diamond cut diamond--A ride on an ostrich--American police methods-- An unpleasant experience 121