“You foreigners—you Englishmen!” he cried. “It is useless to argue with you!”
Frank did not fancy being called an Englishman, and he told the Frenchman as much.
“I am an American, and in America we have a way of coming straight to the point. Now, see here, M. Delambre, I do not wish to make you any trouble, but I am trying to find out something about a friend whom I followed into this place. He has disappeared.”
The Frenchman held up both hands, a look of horror on his face.
“Monsieur,” he cried, “do you mean to add that I know something about the disappearance of your friend? That is still worse! You have added to the insult! I beg you to leave my place at once, or I shall be forced to call my waiters, and have you ejected!”
“Now, see here, sir,” came grimly from Merry, “I advise you to go slow about this ejecting business! I don’t think you can summon enough waiters to eject my friends and myself.”
“Let him try it!” exclaimed Diamond.
“Do let him try it!” urged Rattleton.
Both of Frank’s friends looked very eager for a scrimmage, and the proprietor of the café showed still further agitation. Again Frank plied him with questions, but now he took another turn, relapsing into grim silence, shrugging his shoulders, sneering, and scowling. It was useless to coax, or threaten, or cajole. M. Delambre closed up like a clam, and nothing could they learn from him.
“Better make a complaint to the authorities, Merry,” suggested Diamond. “Better have the joint placed under surveillance.”