"Who asked you to butt in?" demanded Bart, nettled at the interruption.
"This is a free country, ain't it?" replied Rabig, truculently.
"Sure it is," said Bart. "That's the reason your father came here from Germany, wasn't it?"
The shot went home, for Rabig, though born in this country, was of German descent and for the last two years had been vehement in his denunciation of the Allies and fervent in his praise of the Teutons.
"Germany's all right," he retorted, "and don't you forget it!"
"If Germany's all right, it's surprising how many Germans try to get away from it," remarked Frank dryly. "You don't notice many Americans going over to Germany."
"That's just because Germany is crowded," defended Rabig. "But just the same it's a better country than America ever dared to be. And when she gets through this war she'll be twice as big as she was before and there'll be plenty of room for all her people."
"Going to gobble up all Europe, is she?" asked Frank, sarcastically.
"Then I suppose she'll come over and take in America, too, so as to make a good job of it," said Bart, with a grin of derision.
"Why not?" responded Rabig, promptly. "Somebody has got to rule the world, and why not Germany?"