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Rh, I vos abologise for rollin' into him. But he calls me an idiot und a klown, und I vos no stand dot from anypody." And the German soldier shook his head determinedly.

"That's the truth of it," came from a corporal standing near. "I saw and overheard the whole transaction, colonel."

By this time Jerry was coming to his senses. He blinked his eyes, and, sitting up, stared around him.

"Keep off!" he muttered. "Don't hit me again!"

"You're all right now," said the lieutenant-colonel. "I am sorry to see you having a row with one of our men, though."

"He started the row," answered Nickerson, bound to save himself from trouble, if possible.

"It isn't so," came from several in the crowd. "He struck the first blow, just as Stummer says."

"But he knocked me down first, and he did it on purpose."

"Dot ain't so. I vos coming der stairs town, ven I slip, because der poat vos so unsteady," explained Carl; and then he went into the details of the encounter from start to finish. Several times Jerry