e fellow who was to fight threw off his coat and
Oscar said:

"See here! It's a good deal of trouble for me to thrash you; it's like
work--I don't like work. I'll give you fellows fifteen cents to go to
get your beer and call it off."

The men guffawed.

"Come on," said the challenger, walking up and squaring for Oscar. The
latter stood with his hands at his sides, a picture of effeminacy, but
when the man tapped him on the nose a most singular and astonishing
result followed. Seemingly without an exertion the dude let drive,
caught his assailant and insulter on the forehead and sent him tumbling,
heels up. It was one of the cleanest knock-downs on record.

CHAPTER VII.

OSCAR HAD PROMISED A SURPRISE AND HE MAKES GOOD
HIS PROMISE, AND AFTER SERVING OUT THE MAN AND HIS
FRIENDS HE STARTS OUT AND ENCOUNTERS MORE SERIOUS
ADVENTURES.

Our hero had promised the men a surprise, and he kept his word. A more
surprised man than the fellow who caught the stinging blow never went
whirling to the ground. It is stated that a similar scene frequently
occurred with Billy Edwards, the light-weight champion, years ago, who
gave no evidence in his appearance of being the athlete and powerful
hitter that he really was.

The man who got it was a little dazed when he recovered his feet. He
looked surprised indeed, but made a rush, possibly thinking there had
been some mistake and he had been kicked by a mule instead of receiving
the sockdologer from the effeminate-looking dude. He made a rush, as
stated, when Dudie Dunne got into shape, worked his attitude, and
dancing around his antagonist a moment he let drive again, and a second
time the astonished insulter and challenger went whirling to the ground,
blood spurting from his nose while his eyes began to swell.

The two other men were so surprised they just stood and looked on.
Indeed it was a curious sight, but Oscar did not intend them to have the
laugh so easy. Like the Irishman and the bull they had had their laugh
before they went over the fence. It was their turn, thought Dudie Dunne,
and as he gave his first assailant the second clip he swung round and
quick as a flash light of a photographer he let the two men successively
have it square on the forehead and over they went, heels up. When they
recovered their feet they used them--used them to good advantage--in
getting away, while chappie went for number one again, but the fellow
begged---actually begged--and our h