“I can’t tell a thing about what a Chinaman thinks,” the captain said, ruefully. “Their faces never seem to change, no matter what they’re feeling inside them. But as I told missy here, he was very courteous as soon as Captain Eric’s name was mentioned, and promised to do all that lay in his power to find the lad.” He broke off with an exclamation and thrust a hand into the inner pocket of his coat in search of something. Presently, after much rummaging among several pockets, he produced a small package, done up in gilt paper, and sealed with huge gold seals showing the strange Chinese characters both children were already familiar with on other, similarly wrapped parcels that had come home with Captain Eric Folger in the _Sea Gull_. Captain Bartlet handed it to Erica. “The governor sent this to thee, missy,” he explained. “Oh, what do I care about presents at a time like this!” Erica cried, impatiently. “I’d open it,” Tommy advised. “There may be some sort of message inside to tell what he’s going to do about Lis.” “Of course. I never thought of that,” Erica agreed, and tore at the gorgeous wrappings with trembling fingers. Inside was a small square box of carved teakwood, ornamented with curious clasps of hammered brass that looked like dragons’ wings. A tiny brass key was tied to one of the clasps with a knot of orange cord, and when this had unlocked the little box, it proved to contain a pair of long, beautifully carved earrings of deep green jade, with pear-shaped drops at the ends, of delicately tinted pink pearls. They were lovely, graceful things, and by the look of them extremely valuable, though wholly unsuited to a child of Erica’s age. But at the moment Erica hardly gave them a glance, since all her attention was concentrated on the few lines of heavy, flourishing writing on a small orange card that was inclosed with the earrings. To the little Sea Blossom, my very dear and honorable Goddaughter [ran the writing], with the assurance that Sun Li will either return her cousin to her in safety or terribly punish those who have harmed him. Let the little Sea Girl believe that nothing shall be left undone and that word shall be sent speedily by the first ship, when there is news. Box, note, and the jade-and-pearl earrings slipped from Erica’s hands, to fall with a little tinkle on the wooden floor of the porch. “Oh, Tommy, as if his punishing the men who hurt Lis will do us any good!” she choked. “That may be the Oriental way of looking at things. I want Lis back, well and safe. Sun Li’s just an old Chinese heathen,” she wailed. “What does he know of how Americans feel about things?”