Strange as it may seem I did not see fit to take issue with him under the circumstances, so, he went on with another little round of abuse of the Americans that made my blood boil, but again I failed to go to the bat for my country. Thinking he had sufficiently riled me, he started on the subject of more vital importance.
“Now, which one of you burned that plane?” he sharply demanded.
Again I said nothing, but I thought a lot, for since he was getting so individualistic about it, I was convinced that we were in a pretty serious situation; yet I knew I was going to have to answer that question. I was hoping that if Davis was caught he would say that he did it and I knew that Davis was human, and was hoping that I would say that I did it.
He interrupted my silent study. “Are you going to answer?” he growled.
What would I say to get by? I decided to spar.
“It burned itself,” was my brilliant repartee.
“Don’t lie to me,” he hissed. “It might have been afire when you started down, but we saw you go back and burn it.”
“Well, if you saw me go back and burn it, why did you ask me who did it?” I unthoughtedly retorted, and then I was sorry for if at first I thought him fierce, he had now become an irate demon.
“You did do it then, eh?” he said persuasively, as he slowly looked around to his companions in order that they might bear witness to my confession.
“What’s the use,” I thought to myself, so, I looked him squarely in the eyes and said, “Yes, I did it.”