A sharp twist of the collar he held brought a guttural cry of pain from the Prussian and a crow of delight from the crowd.
"More yet?" queried Frank with another twist that brought the man to his knees whimpering. "Or will you do what I suggested?"
"I will do it," growled the German, hatred and pain in the glance he flung his captor. "Led me go und I vill do it."
"Good," said Frank. "I'll let you do it but I won't let you go. I love you too much. Right this way."
The crowd gave way before the advance of captor and captive, and before them all the German was forced to pick up the flags, dust them to the entire satisfaction of his gleeful audience, and, with Frank's knuckles still urging him on, replace them to the best of his clumsy ability as he had found them.
With the flags of the triple alliance floating once more proudly in the breeze, the throng sent up a mighty shout. Hats were thrown in the air and cries were heard.
"That's Old Glory for you! The more they try to down her the higher up she flies!"
"That's what the whole German nation's going to do when we get our boys over there!"
"We'll make 'em tremble in their boots!"
"And now," cried Frank, "our German friend will stand at salute and sing the Star Spangled Banner with all the expression I know his love for our country will prompt."