"Professor," called Tad. "We know of course how you feel on the subject, but this is a good time for us all to make our confessions, on this the last night of our season's outing, and know where we stand on the war."
"We are all patriots here," interjected Walter Perkins.
"All but one and he's a German," spoke up Stacy Brown. "I refer to that noble man, Professor Zepplin, first cousin to the airship known as a Zeppelin—-"
Professor Zepplin's whiskers fairly bristled.
"Young man, that will do!" he thundered. "I am an American citizen, and you have no right to question my loy——-"
"There, there, Professor, don't you know Chunky by this time? All he wished was to draw your fire and stir you up, which I reckon he's done," soothed Tad laughingly.
Stacy chuckled under his breath, at the same time keeping a weather eye out for any hostile move that Professor Zepplin might make, for the professor plainly was excited.
"That is all very well, young men," returned the professor. "I know that you know what my Americanism is. I have no need to tell you that, but, as Tad says, this is a good time for us all to declare our loyalty, and we should reiterate it every day of our lives."
"That's the talk," cried Ned Rector.
"As you boys know, I was born in Germany. I attended a German military school and, to cut the story short, I became a German officer. I fought in many battles—-"