Bristow spoke to Mr. Willing.
“I shall stay, sir,” he said, “but it is because I must avoid capture if it is possible. Otherwise I wouldn’t stay in the same room with you.”
Mr. Willing smiled. He didn’t mind that kind of talk, but not so Shirley. She sprang to her feet and faced Bristow angrily.
“How dare you speak to my father like that?” she demanded. “How dare you?”
Bristow turned his head away, and made no reply.
Mabel quickly came to the support of Bristow.
“And why shouldn’t he?” she asked. “He hasn’t done anything and your father was very mean.”
“Why, Mabel,” exclaimed Shirley in surprise.
“I mean it,” declared Mabel. “Your father was mean.”
“He couldn’t be too mean to a German,” exclaimed Shirley.