The teachers decided that they had been visited by a Negro, hunting for chickens; laughed heartily at their fright and resumed deliberations.  Thus again a patriot was mistaken for a chicken thief; and in the South to-day a race that dreams of freedom, equality, and empire, far more than is imagined, is put down as a race of chicken thieves.  As in Belton’s case, this conception diverts attention from places where startling things would otherwise be discovered.

In due time Belton crept back to the dormitory, and by a signal agreed upon, roused his room-mate, who let down the rope, by means of which he ascended; and when seated gave his room-mate an account of his adventure.

Sometime later on, Belton in company with another student was sent over to a sister University in Nashville to carry a note for the president.  This University also had a colored teacher who was one point in advance of Belton’s.  This teacher ate at the same table with the white teachers, while Belton’s teacher ate with the students.  Belton passed by the dining room of the teachers of this sister University and saw the colored teacher enjoying a meal with the white teachers.  He could not enjoy the sight as much as he would have liked, from thinking about the treatment his teacher was receiving.  He had not, prior to this, thought of that discrimination, but now it burned him.

He returned to his school and before many days had passed he had called together all the male students.  He informed them that they ought to perfect a secret organization and have a password.  They all agreed to secrecy and Belton gave this as the pass word:  “Equality or Death.”

He then told them that it was his ambition and purpose to coerce the white teachers into allowing the colored teacher to eat with them.  They all very readily agreed; for the matter of his eating had been thoroughly canvassed for a number of sessions, but it seemed as though no one dared to suggest a combination.  During slavery all combinations of slaves were sedulously guarded against, and a fear of combinations seems to have been injected into the Negro’s very blood.

The very boldness of Belton’s idea swept the students away from the lethargic harbor in which they had been anchored, and they were eager for action.  Belton was instructed to prepare the complaint, which they all agreed to sign.  They decided that it was to be presented to the president just before devotional exercises and an answer was to be demanded forthwith.  One of the young men had a sister among the young lady students, and, through her Belton’s rebellion was organized among the girls and their signatures secured.

The eventful morning came.  The teachers glanced over the assembled students, and were surprised to see them dressed in their best clothes as though it was the Sabbath.  There was a quiet satisfied look on their faces that the teachers did not understand.