o. He was jubilant, and he proceeded to
relate all that had passed while he sat listening in the Credo eyrie.

It was well on toward three o'clock in the morning when the party walked
on board the boat to return to New York, and they had just seated
themselves on the boat when a party of roughs, numbering seven or eight,
entered the cabin. The men were very boisterous and ready for a muss, as
the saying goes. They talked loud and laughed violently, and soon their
eyes rested on the three detectives. The two males as they were gotten
up did not look like very formidable individuals, and the fact that Cad
was veiled attracted their attention. They ranged themselves on the
seats directly opposite to where the three detectives were located and
our hero at once detected that there was going to be a jolly row--jolly
as far he and his companions were concerned--for both the men were
athletes and boxers, of the first order. To them the knocking down of
two or three ordinary men was a mere pastime, and as our readers know
the wonderful Cad was not much behind when it came to a shindy. She
could have given the famous strong woman who a few years ago appeared on
the stage points in many athletic feats. One of the men looking over
toward Cad said:

"There's a beauty."

The detectives exchanged looks.

They had taken the measures of the rowdies.

"How do you know?" asked one of the men.

"I'll bet on it."

"You will?"'

"Yes."

"How will you prove it?"

"I'll prove."

"How?"

"That's my end of it."

"You'll bet she is a beauty?"

"Yes, I will."

"How much?"

"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 ye