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I always sought by sprightly conversation to win the good-will of chance companions, but a small proportion were incorrigible. As soon as we arrived on a dark deserted street, one of the young men said: "Do you know I am a detective, and I arrest you for accosting us. But if you'll hand me a dollar, I will let you off this time." (Impersonating a detective is a common practice in robbing fairies.)

"I haven't that much, and you wouldn't take from a poor unfortunate the few cents he has, would you?"

"Hand over all you've got! You'll find you have run up against a hard party!"

"You ought not to hit me like that, because I'm a girl. A fellow ought to be ashamed to hit a girl."

"You're no girl, you!" adding the appropriate vulgar epithet.

"I am too. I can take you to a doctor and prove it by his word. I ama girl incarnated in a boy's body."

For fear of a pummeling, I handed over all I had, less than a dollar.