“That’s a comfort, anyway,” said Donovan. “According to my notion of the efficiency of that navy it will miss the island altogether with the first five and be darned lucky if it knocks a chip off a cliff with the sixth.”
The Queen stopped swinging her feet and laughing at the admiral. She was much more serious now. There was a gleam in her eyes which caught Gorman’s attention.
“Father,” she said, “I’m going to hoist the American flag. I have one in my room.”
“Seems a pity,” said Donovan. “Your blue banner is nice enough.”
“No one,” said the Queen, “would dare to fire on the Stars and Stripes.”
Miss Donovan, though an independent queen, was a patriotic American citizen. In those days there were a good many patriotic American citizens who believed that no one would dare to fire on the Stars and Stripes. King Konrad Karl knew better.
“Alas,” he said, “your Stars! your Stripes! if it were the Megalian Government it would not dare. But this is not the ultimatum outrage of the Megalian Government. Behind it, in the rear of its elbow, stands——”
“Of course he does,” said Gorman.
“That darned Emperor?” said Donovan.