Of late the father had taken altogether to speaking German.

He had never spoken English well.

And Kurt was rapidly approaching the point where he would not speak German.

A deadlock was in sight, and Kurt grimly prepared to meet it.

He pounded on the locked door.
"The men are going to lay off," he called.
"Who runs this farm ?" was the thundered reply.
"The I.W.W.is going to run it if you sulk indoors as you have done lately," yelled Kurt.