“Why am I bitter against you?” he answered. “I despise everything American. Was I not put in a pen in San Francisco along with such cattle as coolies from Japan, Corea and my own country? Your stupid officials claimed not to be able to distinguish between us. I heard one say ‘All Chinks look alike to me.’ After the first experience, when I was washed and my clothes fumigated as if I had been a pauper immigrant, I got letters from college friends, but armed even with these I suffered indignities at the hands of these ignorant officials. When I left America with my graduation diploma in my pocket I took oath to my father’s spirit that I would consecrate my life to making foreigners respect the persons of the high class Chinese, and in starting this crusade I saw it was first necessary to drive all foreigners out of our sacred country.” Both midshipmen were astonished at the earnestness in Ta-Ling’s voice. If the situation had been reversed, would they have acted differently? Had not this man ample reason to hate all foreigners? “Even if some of our stupidly ignorant and irresponsible officials could not distinguish between ranks in your society,” Phil urged, “why should you revenge yourself against us? We are innocent of all blame. We came into your city under the sacred protection of a flag of truce, and in committing a crime against us you will only confirm foreigners in their belief that a Chinaman is not worthy of considerate treatment. Your cause will not be benefited, and your people will suffer; the allied fleet will avenge our deaths as was done in Peking.” “What do I care how many of these low-caste dogs die?” Ta-Ling retorted scornfully; “there are over four hundred million of such animals. Your deaths will force the foreign governments to wage war on China, and once this war is begun, our people will rise up from one end of the empire to the other to drive the foreigner from the soil of China.” “But the missionaries, who have at heart only the enlightenment of your people,” Phil urged, catching his clothes stealthily from the ground at Ta-Ling’s feet. “They, of all the foreigners who come to China,” the Chinaman returned somewhat shamefacedly, “are working unselfishly, but they must suffer with the others; all foreigners must go for China’s good. “I tell you these things,” he ended, turning to leave the midshipmen with their jailer, “because your death-warrants have already been signed by the viceroy. At the first hostile shot fired by the allies your heads will pay the forfeit and we shall attack the mission, guarded now by your sailors, and kill every foreigner within.” As Ta-Ling left them, the jailer seized the lads roughly and dragged them toward their cell. As the door closed behind them Phil shuddered at the demoniacal laughs of derision from their fellow prisoners.