long discussion.

On the very next morning, a most violent snowstorm set in, so that the
face of the river and the hills all round about, and the very heavens
themselves were lost in the blinding snow-drifts that flew before the
gale. Gradually the cold became so intense that the Ice King laid his
grip upon the waters of the Tien-ho, and turned the flowing stream into
a crystal highway, along which men might travel with ease and safety.
Such a sight had never been seen before by any of the people who lived
upon its banks, and many were the speculations as to what such a
phenomenon might mean to the welfare of the people of the region. It
never occurred to any one that this great snow-storm which had turned
into ice a river that had never been known to freeze before, was all
the work of demons determined on the destruction of Sam-Chung.

Next day the storm had passed, but the river was one mass of ice which
gleamed and glistened in the morning rays. Much to the astonishment of
Sam-Chung and his two companions, they caught sight of a number of
people, who appeared to be merchants, moving about on the bank of the
river, together with several mules laden with merchandise. The whole
party seemed intent on their preparations for crossing the river, which
they were observed to test in various places to make sure that it was
strong enough to bear their weight. This they seemed satisfied about,
for in a short time the men and animals set forward on their journey
across the ice.

Sam-Chung immediately insisted upon following their example, though the
plan was vigorously opposed by the villagers, who predicted all kinds
of dangers if he entered on such an uncertain and hazardous enterprise.
Being exceedingly anxious to proceed on his journey, however, and
seeing no prospect of doing so if he did not take advantage of the
present remarkable condition of the river, he hastened to follow in the
footsteps of the merchants, who by this time had already advanced some
distance on the ice.

He would have been less anxious to enter on this perilous course, had
he known that the innocent-looking traders who preceded him were every
one of them demons who had changed themselves into the semblance of men
in order to lure him to his destruction.

Sam-Chung and his companions had not proceeded more than five or six
miles, when ominous symptoms of coming disaster began to manifest
themselves. The extreme cold in the air suddenly cease