, because Boston is really quite infested with characters of this nature.
I am paying no attention to them, because they are drinking local ale, and talking aloud, and I definitely know that when a Boston character is engaged in aleinghimself up, it is a good idea to let him alone, because the best you can get out of him is maybe a boff on the beezer. But Horsey is very much interested in their conversation, and finally I see what is attracting his attention, when one of the characters speaks as follows:
"Well," he says, "I am willing to bet ten thousand dollars that he can outeat anybody in the United States any time."
Now at this, Horsey gets right up and steps over to the table and bows and smiles in a friendly way on one and all, and says:
"Gentlemen," he says, "pardon the intrusion, but," he says, "do I understand you are speaking of a great eater who resides in your fair city?"
Well, these Boston characters all gaze at Horsey in such a hostile manner that I am expecting any one of them to get up and request him to let them miss him, but he keeps on bowing and smiling, and they can see that he is a gentleman, and finally one of them says:
"Yes," he says, "we are speaking of a character by the name of Joel Duffle. He is without doubt the greatest eater alive. He just wins a unique wager. He bets a character from Bangor, Me., that he can eat a whole window display of oysters in this very restaurant, and he not only eats all the oysters but he then wishes to wager that he can also eat the shells, but, it seems that the character from Bangor, unfortunately taps out on the first proposition and has nothing with which to bet on the second."
"Very interesting," Horsey says. "Very interesting, if true, but," he says, "unless my ears deceive me, I hear one of you state that he is willing to wager ten thousand dollars on this eater of yours against anybody in the United States."
"Your ears are perfect," another of the Boston characters says. "I state it, although, I admit it is a sort of figure of speech. But I state it all right," he says.
"Well," Horsey says, "I do not have a tenner on me at the moment, but," he says, "I have here a thousand dollars to put up as a forfeit that I can produce a character who will outeat your party for ten thousand, and as much more as you care to put up."