ifficulties and emotions which are entirely absent in the case of a
wickerwork animal covered with canvas-cloth, no matter how deceptive in
appearance the latter may be."

To afford Yin a more trustworthy example of how he should engage with
an adversary of formidable proportions, Quang resolved upon an ingenious
plan. Procuring the skin of a grey wolf, he concealed himself within it,
and in the early morning, while the mist-damp was still upon the ground,
he set forth to meet Yin, who had on a previous occasion spoken to
him of his intention to be at a certain spot at such an hour. In this
conscientious enterprise, the painstaking Quang would doubtless have
been successful, and Yin gained an assured proficiency and experience,
had it not chanced that on the journey Quang encountered a labourer of
low caste who was crossing the enclosed ground on his way to the rice
field in which he worked. This contemptible and inopportune person,
not having at any period of his existence perfected himself in the
recognized and elegant methods of attack and defence, did not act in
the manner which would assuredly have been adopted by Yin in similar
circumstances, and for which Quang would have been fully prepared. On
the contrary, without the least indication of what his intention was,
he suddenly struck Quang, who was hesitating for a moment what action to
take, a most intolerable blow with a formidable staff which he carried.
The stroke in question inflicted itself upon Quang upon that part of the
body where the head becomes connected with the neck, and would certainly
have been followed by others of equal force and precision had not Quang
in the meantime decided that the most dignified course for him to adopt
would be to disclose his name and titles without delay. Upon learning
these facts, the one who stood before him became very grossly and
offensively amused, and having taken from Quang everything of value
which he carried among his garments, went on his way, leaving Yin's
instructor to retrace his steps in unendurable dejection, as he then
found that he possessed no further interest whatever in the undertaking.

When Yat Huang was satisfied that his son was sufficiently skilled in
the various arts of warfare, he called him to his inner chamber, and
having barred the door securely, he placed Yin under a very binding oath
not to reveal, until an appointed period, the matter which he was going
to put before him.

"From father to