Oscar the Detective | Page 2

and laughed as merrily as the boys who were conducting the affair. "What have we struck?" the lads kept repeating, and the dude stood denuded to his shirt and trousers, appealing to the lads to restore his wardrobe, and his appeals were pitiable to hear.
"Oh, boys, you good boys, now you've had lots of fun, but dear me, I'll freeze--yes, it's an awful good joke--hee, hee, hee--but I'll freeze, and to think, boys, how I look! Why, I'll become a laughing-stock, but it's an awful good joke--yes, I've enjoyed it; we've had lots of fun--hee, hee, hee--but now restore my clothing, please do."
The boys instead of returning the dude's clothes began to maltreat him. They kicked and cuffed him around until one of the men walked over and said:
"Here, you rascals, stop this now."
Another of the men came, and they seized the lads one after the other, took the stolen clothes away from them and restored the goods to their rightful owner. Well, this may appear very nice on the part of the men, but the sequel will show that they were actuated entirely by selfish motives. They discerned that the dude might prove good plucking for themselves, and they were very kind and consoling as they assisted him to resume his garments and he said:
"Well, we've had lots of fun, the poor dear boys; I did feel as though they went too far and I should punish them, but I hadn't the heart--no, I haven't the heart--I am so tender-hearted. I am almost a woman when it comes to the heart, everybody says so."
The men exchanged winks and laughed. It looked to them as very ridiculous--this delicate-looking dude punishing that gang of rough and vigorous gamins.
The dude was speedily re-robed and one of the men said:
"Let's go over and have a drink."
"Thank you, gentlemen, thank you, I am much obliged certainly. We shall have a drink, but I will treat--yes, I will treat. But didn't we have fun! and I am so glad I maintained my temper and did not hurt those poor little boys. It was all play, you know--gentlemen, all play. I enjoyed it very much--yes, very much."
"They were getting a little rough," said one of the men.
"Yes, but you know I was getting a little rough myself. Really, I hope I didn't hurt any of them. I didn't mean to. I'm very vigorous, for I belong to an athletic club. I dare not trust myself to play rough with men, let alone boys--yes, I didn't dare strike. I didn't want to hurt any of them."
"You were very gentle," said one of the men.
"I intended to be. Yes, I am as gentle as a lamb unless I am aroused, then I become a lion--everybody says so--yes, I am very ferocious when I get mad, and I have to restrain myself."
"I can see you are very powerful. I wouldn't like to provoke you," said the man with a wink to his companions and an unrestrained look of contempt.
"I hope you never may. No, I do not like to lose my temper. I become very rough--yes, very rough indeed, my friends all tell me so; but I like fun--yes, I am a thoroughbred, I am, clean through. I gamble, I do--yes, I am a regular sport, and I am so glad I did not hurt any of those boys."
"Yes, you were very considerate."
"Oh, certainly, I am always considerate--my friends all say so. I am naturally kind and gentle, but terrible when I get aroused--yes, I am just awful; so, gentlemen, don't provoke me in any way."
"You can bet we won't provoke you. I tell you I don't want to get it in the eye from one of those mauleys of yours, and get knocked into the middle of next week."
"Hee, hee, hee! how observant you are, and now you've really discovered that I am an athlete! Well, I try not to betray the fact--yes, I am very careful to not let people know, and I try to keep my temper. I don't like to get aroused."
The men went into the barroom and the dude called for a bottle of wine, and the miserable apology for wine was put on the counter. As the dude pulled forth a big wad of bills to pay for it the eyes of the men glittered and they exchanged winks and looked longingly at the roll of greenbacks.
The wine was consumed and the dude ordered segars, and he became quite talkative and drank a glass of whisky that was placed before him. Then he became still more talkative, and all the time he was the dude to perfection and boasted of his powers.
"Do you know," he said, "I once had a run in with ----?"
The man named was a noted boxer.
"How did you come