"Sabotage."

He nodded, his expression grave, his thick hands tight on the wheel. "I know you don't agree with me on this, Hully, but you can't deny the reality-better than one out of three Hawaiians are of Jap heritage."

"Come on, O. B.-the majority of them are hardworking, conservative souls-"

"With relatives living back in Japan," his father finished. "A good number of these issei and nisei are Japanese citizens…."

Issei were first-generation immigrants, ineligible for U.S. citizenship, and nisei were born in Hawaii, and as such were U.S. citizens.

Trying to rein in his irritation, Hully said, "The nisei hold dual citizenships, Pop. You know that."

O. B. frowned over at his son. "Yes, and if war breaks out, what flag will they serve under?"

Hully gave his dad a sarcastic smile. "And I suppose you think sweet Mrs. Fujimoto is just waiting for a signal from the homeland to slit our throats in the night."

The junior Burroughs was referring to their efficient, kindly, obviously loyal maid, who happened to be the mother of a friend of Hully's; it was his close friendship with a nisei that had got these occasional near arguments going between father and son.

Despite the absurdity of it, O. B. said, "How do you know she isn't? How do you know your friend Sam won't stab you in the back?" "Because he's my friend, Dad." This was an old argument, and father and son fell into an awkward silence, punctuated by the whistle of wind and the flaglike flapping of white linen.

Along this stretch of the Ala Moana, a fantastic, breathtaking view presented itself, including Punch Bowl and Round Top and Tantalus and Kaimuki and Diamond Head, the tower of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel peeking over the tops of coconut and date palms like a kid over a fence.

Finally Hully said, "Jeez, Pop, I never saw so many women in one place in my Me, as on that dock today." His father nodded. "Wives of servicemen, mostly, I suppose," Hullysaid.