te is considerable.
The three meals which I have had to-day seem scarcely a mouthful. On
such a diet, I shall starve before we come to Ch'i-Chow."

"Why did you not say so? I shall make them bring me more to-morrow."

"But are you not afraid of rousing suspicion?"

"That is nothing. I shall see to it. But how much would you need?"

"We shall never be able to obtain quite that. Ten bowls of rice at
each meal would not be enough."

Next day, when her parents came to see her, Elegant complained.

"I do not know what is the matter with me," she said. "I am dying of
hunger."

But her mother began to laugh:

"That is not a very serious affair. I will have more rice brought to
you."

But when the young girl said that she needed about ten bowls, the good
woman was startled. She again wished to remain near her daughter.

"If you stay here, mama, I shall not be able to take anything. Leave
me alone, and I shall eat more comfortably."

Everybody indulged her caprice. When the cabin was empty, she shut
the door and Ya-nei came out. Hungry as he was, he made the ten bowls
vanish like a shooting star, and did not leave a single grain. Elegant
watched him with astonishment, and asked him in a low voice:

"Is that still too little?"

"It will suffice," answered the other, drinking a cup of tea.

He hastened back to his hiding-place, while the young girl ate some
vegetables. Then she called the slaves, who came running up, wondering
whether she had been able to eat all that food. They looked at the
empty bowls and at their mistress's slim figure, and murmured as they
went away:

"What a terrible illness!"

One of them, in her anxiety, went to the father and showed him the
dish, suggesting that he should call a doctor as soon as possible.
And he, for his part, forbade them to give her so much another time,
fearing that she would burst.

At mid-day he went himself to speak to her.

She began to weep: her mother took her part; and they gave way to her.
The evening meal was just as large.

They were approaching Ch'i-Chow, and Ho Chang, who was really alarmed,
ordered his boatmen to cast anchor near the town. Early in the morning
he sent his steward to find the best doctor, and when the man arrived,
brought him on board and explained the case to him. They then went to
examine the invalid and to try her pulse. The doctor at length came
back with the father into the central cabin.

"Well? What is the illness?"

The