to　a　certain　retired　hut　in　the　Western　Hills；　and　keep　you　there　till　I　shall　have　won　the　victory。　Then　I　will　send　you　back　again。〃

Jiang　Gan　tried　to　say　something；　but　Zhou　Yu　would　not　listen。　He　turned　his　back　and　went　into　the　recesses　of　his　tent。　The　attendants　led　the　visitor　off；　set　him　on　a　horse；　and　took　him　away　over　the　hills　to　the　small　hut；　leaving　two　soldiers　to　look　after　him。

When　Jiang　Gan　found　himself　in　the　lonely　hut；　he　was　very　depressed　and　had　no　desire　to　eat　or　sleep。　But　one　night；　when　the　stars　were　very　brilliant；　he　strolled　out　to　enjoy　them。　Presently　he　came　to　the　rear　of　his　lonely　habitation　and　heard；　near　by；　someone　crooning　over　a　book。　Approaching　with　stealthy　steps；　he　saw　a　tiny　cabin　half　hidden　in　a　cliff　whence　a　slender　beam　or　two　of　light　stole　out　between　the　rafters。　He　went　nearer　and　peeping　in；　saw　a　man　reading　by　the　light　of　a　lamp　near　which　hung　a　sword。　And　the　book　was　Sun　Zi's　classic　〃The　Art　of　War。〃

〃This　is　no　mon　person；〃　thought　Jiang　Gan；　and　so　he　knocked　at　the　door。

The　door　was　opened　by　the　reader；　who　bade　him　wele　with　cultivated　and　refined　ceremony。　Jiang　Gan　inquired　his　name。

The　host　replied；　〃I　am　Pang　Tong。〃

〃Then　you　are　surely　the　Master　known　as　Young　Phoenix；　are　you　not？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　he。〃

〃How　often　have　I　heard　you　talked　about！　You　are　famous。　But　why　are　you　hidden　away　in　this　spot？〃

〃That　fellow　Zhou　Yu　is　too　conceited　to　allow　that　anyone　else　has　any　talent；　and　so　I　live　here　quietly。　But　who　are　you；　Sir？〃

〃I　am　Jiang　Gan。〃

Then　Pang　Tong　made　him　wele　and　led　him　in；　and　the　two　sat　down　to　talk。

〃With　your　gifts；　you　would　succeed　anywhere；〃　said　Jiang　Gan。　〃If　you　would　enter