" said Hugo
Raeder. "By that law of yours, where would your allegiance be should war
arise? I am asking what actually would be your standing. Would you be a
German citizen or an American citizen?"

"The possibility does not exist," said Professor Schaefer.

"Quite impossible," exclaimed Meyer.

"Well, what of other countries then?" said Hugo, pursuing the subject
with a wicked delight. His sturdy Americanism resented this bigamous
citizenship. "What of France or Britain?"

"Ah," said Professor Schaefer with a sharpening of his tone. "That is
quite easy."

"You would be a German, eh?" said Raeder.

"You ask me," exclaimed Professor Schaefer, "you ask me as between
Germany and France, or between Germany and Britain? I reply," he
exclaimed with a dramatic flourish of his hand, "I am a worshipper of
the life-giving sun, not of the dead moon; I follow the dawn, not the
dying day."

But this was too much for Larry. "Without discussing which is the sun
and which is the moon, about which we might naturally differ, Professor
Schaefer, I want to be quite clear upon one point. Do I understand you
to say that if you were, say a naturalised citizen of Canada, having
sworn allegiance to our Government, enjoying the full rights and
privileges of our citizenship, you at the same time would be free to
consider yourself a citizen of Germany, and in case of war with Britain,
you would feel in duty bound to support Germany? And is it that which
the Delbruck Law is deliberately drawn, to permit you to do?"

"Well put, Larry!" exclaimed Hugo Raeder, to whom the German's attitude
was detestable.

Professor Schaefer's lips curled in an unpleasant smile. "Canada,
Canadian citizenship! My dear young man, pardon! Allow me to ask you a
question. If Britain were at war with Germany, do you think it at all
likely that Canada would allow herself to become involved in a European
war? Canada is a proud, young, virile nation. Would she be likely to
link her fortunes with those of a decadent power? Excuse me a moment,"
checking Larry's impetuous reply with his hand. "Believe me, we know
something about these things. We make it our business to know. You
acknowledge that we know something about your mines; let me assure you
that there is nothing about your country that we do not know. Nothing.
Nothing. We know the feeling in Canada. Where would Canada be in such
a war? Not with Germany, I would not say that. But would she stand with
England?"