"Yes, take your hat off!" came in a roar from all the others, none being
louder and more peremptory than the Englishman's.

"I will not take my hat off to that dirty rag," he said. "It means
nothing to me. The flag of any country means nothing to me. I can go
into a shop and buy that red, white, and blue! That is only a rag--that
flag."

Sir George leaned over with blazing eyes and took him by the collar.

"Don't do that, George," said Miss Wemyss, excitedly. "His linen is not
fit to touch."

"Let's duck him," said the Princeton man.

But Mrs. Jimmie interfered, saying in a quiet voice, although her hands
were trembling:

"Don't do anything to him until we take him back to the house-boat.
Remember he is my guest."

At this the German smiled with such insolence and pulled his hat further
down on his brow with such a vicious look of satisfaction that I had all
I could do to hold myself in. The boats flew back to the house-boat as
if on wings.

"You see, miss," he leaned forward and said to me in low tones. "You do
not like me. You love your flag. Ah, ha, I revenge myself."

"Just wait till I tell Jimmie," I said.