n'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---"

"At the battle of the Nile he was fitting all the while," murmured the
fat boy under his breath. Tad rebuked Stacy with a look.

"One day, after I had served my time, I emigrated to America. It was
not until then that I realized that I had been wrong, that I had been
upholding an unworthy cause. That was years ago. Soon I had absorbed
the spirit of American liberty and became at one with its ideals.
I became a citizen. Of course I looked back on my army experience with
a certain amount of pride. No one who has fought and bled can help
doing that---up to a certain point."

"I can well understand that," murmured Tad. "I think I know how you
felt."

"When Germany made war on little Belgium and France my pride of
service turned to regret. I was sorry deep down in my heart that
I had served the Fatherland, but I rejoiced that I was then an American,
a loyal American. It was when---when the despicable Huns sank the
Lusitania, the most dastardly crime in the world's history, that my
soul was suddenly filled with loathing. I offered my services to the
country of my adoption, believing that they would go to war at once,
but I was too old, and then America was not yet prepared for the
great conflict. Since we went to war I have again offered my
services. I can still fight, young men."

"I should say you can," interjected Tad.

"My name, at this time, is an unfortunate one," continued the professor.
"It is not the name, but the heart that counts, and my heart is in