Part 27 (1/2)
”A bottle.”
”And you are to prove it?”
”Yes.”
”I'll take the bet.”
The fellow who had offered to make the bet immediately rose, crossed the cabin to where Cad sat and said:
”Say, miss, you've heard the bet. Raise your veil and let me win. I know you are a beauty.”
The men all laughed. They thought it evidently the joke of their lives; to them it was immense.
It was so destined to turn out. Immense was no name for what followed, and it is very unfortunate that similar roysterers do not run up against a like party.
”Come, miss,” urged the man, ”I've paid you a compliment. You ain't a-going to let me lose my bet?”
Cad paid no attention to the fellow, and his companions jeered. One said:
”She daren't raise her veil, or she'll make you lose, sure.”
The man who had bet exclaimed:
”You've lost; I've got a bottle on you.”
”Not yet; come, miss, you won't see me lose.”
All this time the two detectives had sat silent. They knew what would follow, and just when to come in with the sledge hammer part of the farce. Yes, they were ready in good time to play the anvil chorus on the heads of the lively gang of insulters. It was just their pie, as the slang phrase has it.
”You've lost,” cried the better.
”Come, come, miss, do you hear what he says? I know you're a beaut.
Raise your veil and give me the laugh on him.”
Cad sat mute, and finally the man said:
”I can't lose; I've got to see your face if I lift your veil myself.”
”Yes, yes, raise and expose her mugg,” cried one; ”if she were a beaut she would'nt let you lose that way. Lift her veil.”
It was time for Oscar to interfere and he said:
”That will do, young fellow.”
”Will it?” cried the man in a fierce tone.
”Yes.”
”What have you got to say about it anyhow?”
”This lady is in my company, under my protection.”