“Still,” said the prisoner hopefully, “it may be all right. The United States will endeavor to stay out of the war on any pretext. Besides, she is woefully slow to act, as has been proved by her actions toward Mexico. Therefore this may be overlooked.”
“Don’t you believe it,” cried Frank hotly. “The United States will protect her citizens and property the world over.”
“Well,” said the German with a scornful smile, “it’s about time she began to do it.”
“What do you mean?” asked Frank taking a step toward the prisoner. “Do you mean we are all cowards?”
“Well, hardly that,” replied the German, with a faint smile, “but——”
“But nothing,” cried Frank. “We don’t raise such things as cowards in the United States.”
The German lifted his eyebrows skeptically, and Frank grew angrier.
“You’ll try us too far some of these days,” he said, “and we’ll do you like Dewey did some of your ships at Manila. He said: ‘Get out of my way and don’t interfere with me or I shall send you all to the bottom.’”
The German’s face flushed. Plainly he also was growing angry.
“If you try it,” he said, “you’ll wish you hadn’t.”