to-day," said Sam. "They have done such a
lot of burning in South Africa that they could show us the best way."

"Yes, sir. But then temple-burning is finer work than burning
farmhouses, sir."

"That is true," said Sam.

Before night they had visited three deserted towns and burned down the
temple in each with its accompanying pagoda. There is something in the
hearts of men that responds to great conflagrations, and the whole
force soon got into the spirit of it and burned everything they came
across. Sam enjoyed himself to the full. His only regret was that there
was no enemy to overcome. They camped out at night and continued the
same work for several days, all the natives fleeing as soon as they
came in sight. At last they reached the famous white temple of Pu-Sing,
which was the chief object of religious devotion in the whole
province. This was to be absolutely destroyed, notwithstanding its
great artistic beauty, and then they were to return to the city in
triumph. As they drew near to the building two or three shots were
fired from it, and one soldier was wounded in the arm. The usual
cursing began, and the men were restive to get at the Porsslanese
garrison. Sam ordered the infantry to fire a volley, and then, as the
return fire was feeble, he ordered the squadron of cavalry to charge,
leading it himself. The natives turned and fled as soon as they saw
them coming, and the cavalry, skirting the enclosure of the temple,
followed them beyond and cut them down without mercy.

"Give them hell!" cried Sam. "Exterminate the vermin!" and he swore,
quite naturally under the circumstances, like a trooper.

Some of the natives fell on their knees and begged for quarter, but it
was of no use. Every one was killed. They numbered about two hundred in
all. When the horsemen returned to the temple they found the infantry
already at work at the task of looting it. Everything of value that
could be carried was taken out, and the larger statues and vases were
broken to pieces. Then the woodwork was cut away and piled up for
firewood, and finally the whole pile set on fire. In all this work the
leader was a sergeant of infantry who seemed to have a natural talent
for it. Sam had noticed him before at the burning of the other temples,
but now he showed himself more conspicuously capable. As the work of
piling inflammable material against the walls of polished marble,
inlaid with ivory, was n