ion he had was a goose that watched the gate for
him at night and screamed out loudly if any stranger dared to prowl
about the place. Hu-lin and this goose were close friends, and the slave
girl often stopped to chat with the wise fowl as she was passing the old
man's cottage. In this way she had learned that the bird's owner was a
miser who kept a great deal of money hidden in his yard. Ch'ang, the
goose, had an unusually long neck, and was thus able to pry into most of
his master's affairs. As the fowl had no member of his own family to
talk with, he told all he knew to Hu-lin.

On the very morning when Black Heart gave Hu-lin a beating for trying
to run away, Ch'ang made a startling discovery. His lord and master was
not really an old miser, but a young man in disguise. Ch'ang, feeling
hungry, had slipped into the house at daybreak to see if any scraps had
been left from the last evening's meal. The bedroom door had blown open
in the night, and there lay a young man sound asleep, instead of the
greybeard whom the gander called his master. Then, before his very eyes,
the youth changed suddenly into his former shape and was an old man
again.

In his excitement, forgetting all about his empty stomach, the
terror-stricken goose rushed out into the yard to think over the
mystery, but the longer he puzzled, the more strange it all seemed. Then
he thought of Hu-lin, and wished that she would come by, that he might
ask her opinion. He had a high regard for the slave girl's knowledge and
believed that she would understand fully what had taken place.

Ch'ang went to the gate. As usual, it was locked, and there was nothing
for him to do but wait for his master to rise. Two hours later the miser
walked out into the yard. He seemed in good spirits, and he gave Ch'ang
more to eat than usual. After taking his morning smoke on the street in
front of the house, he strolled around it leaving the front gate ajar.

This was precisely what the gander had been expecting. Slipping quietly
into the road, he turned towards the river where he could see the
houseboats lined up at the wharf. On the sand near by lay a well-known
form.

"Hu-lin," he called as he drew near, "wake up, for I have something to
tell you."

"I am not asleep," she answered, turning her tear-stained face towards
her friend.

"Why, what's the matter? You've been crying again. Has old Black Heart
been beating you?"

"Hush! he's taking a nap in the boat. Don't let