dolorous tone, "please let me go--you are
quite mistaken: I assure you I am not the man." "No, we ain't mistaken,
either: you're one of the rangers; I know you by your coat," replied one of
the assaulters.

It now flashed upon Mr. Stevens that he had brought himself into these
difficulties, by the assumption of the dress he then wore; he therefore
quickly rejoined--"Oh, it is not my coat--I only put it on for a joke!"

"That's a likely tale," responded one of the party, who looked very
incredulous; "I don't believe a word of it. That's some darned stuff you've
trumped up, thinking to gammon us--it won't go down; we'll just give you a
walloping, if it's only to teach you to wear your own clothes,"--and
suiting the action to the word, he commenced pommelling him unmercifully.

"Help! help!" screamed Mr. Stevens. "Don't kill me, gentlemen,--don't kill
me!"

"Oh! we won't kill you--we'll only come as near it as we can, without quite
finishing you," cried one of his relentless tormenters.

On hearing this, their victim made a frantic effort to break away, and not
succeeding in it, he commenced yelling at the top of his voice. As is usual
in such cases, the watchman was nowhere to be seen; and his cries only
exasperated his persecutors the more.

"Hit him in the bread-crusher, and stop his noise," suggested one of the
party farthest off from Mr. Stevens. This piece of advice was carried into
immediate effect, and the unfortunate wearer of the obnoxious coat received
a heavy blow in the mouth, which cut his lips and knocked out one of his
front teeth.

His cries now became so loud as to render it necessary to gag him, which
was done by one of the party in the most thorough and expeditious manner.
They then dragged him into a wheelwright's shop near by, where they
obtained some tar, with which they coated his face completely.

"Oh! don't he look like a nigger!" said one of the party, when they had
finished embellishing their victim.

"Rub some on his hands, and then let him go," suggested another. "When he
gets home I guess he'll surprise his mammy: I don't believe his own dog
will know him!"

A shout of laughter followed this remark, in the midst of which they
ungagged Mr. Stevens and turned him from the door.

"Now run for it--cut the quickest kind of time," exclaimed one of them, as
he gave him a kick to add impetus to his forward movement.

This aid was, however, entirely unnecessary, for Mr. Stevens shot away