These gentry had for a long time been the terror of the district in which they roamed, and had rendered themselves highly obnoxious to some of the rival factions on the borders of their own territory; they had the unpleasant habit of pitching into and maltreating, without the slightest provocation, any one whom their practised eyes discovered to be a rival; and by such outrages they had excited in the bosoms of their victims a desire for revenge that only awaited the occasion to manifest itself.
Mr.Stevens, in happy unconsciousness, that, owing to his habiliments, he represented one of the well-known and hated faction, walked on quite leisurely; but, unfortunately for him, his way home lay directly through the camp of their bitterest and most active enemies.
Standing in front of a tavern-window, through which a bright light shone, were a group of young men, who bestowed upon Mr.Stevens more than passing attention.

"I'm blest," exclaimed one of them, if there ain't a ranger! now that it a saucy piece of business, ain't it! That fellow has come up here to be able to go back and play brag-game." "Let's wallop him, then," suggested another, "and teach him better than to come parading himself in our parts.

I owe 'em something for the way they served me when I was down in their district." "Well, come on," said the first speaker, "or he will get away whilst we are jawing about what we shall do." Advancing to Mr.Stevens, he tapped that gentleman on the shoulder, and said, with mock civility, and in as bland a tone as he could assume, "It's really very obliging of you, mister, to come up here to be flogged--saves us the trouble of coming down to you.

We would like to settle with you for that drubbing you gave one of our boys last week." "You must be mistaken," replied Mr.Stevens: "I don't know anything of the affair to which you allude." "You don't, eh! Well, take that, then, to freshen your memory," exclaimed one of the party, at the same time dealing him a heavy blow on the cheek, which made the lamplights around appear to dance about in the most fantastic style.
The first impulse of Mr.Stevens was to cry out for the watchman; but a moment's reflection suggested the impolicy of that project, as he would inevitably be arrested with the rest; and to be brought before a magistrate in his present guise, would have entailed upon him very embarrassing explanations; he therefore thought it best to beg off--to throw himself, as it were, upon their sympathies.
"Stop, gentlemen--stop--for God's sake, stop," he cried, as soon as he could regain the breath that had been almost knocked out of him by the tremendous blow he had just received--"don't kill an innocent man; upon my honour I never saw you before, nor ever assaulted any of you in my life.

My dear friends," he continued, in a 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.