here　can　we　hide？〃　asked　his　brother。

〃I　know　a　valley　away　southwest　from　us　called　'Bald　Dragon　Ravine'；　and　the　King；　Duo　Si；　is　a　friend　of　mine。　Let　us　take　refuge　with　him。〃

〃Very　well。　Go　and　arrange　it；〃　said　Meng　Huo。

So　Meng　You　went。　When　he　got　there　and　talked　to　the　chief；　King　Duo　Si　lost　no　time　but　came　out　with　his　soldiers　to　wele　Meng　Huo；　who　then　entered　the　valley。　After　the　exchange　of　salutations；　Meng　Huo　explained　his　case。

Duo　Si　said；　〃O　King；　rest　content。　If　those　men　from　the　River　Lands　e　here；　I　will　see　to　it　that　not　one　goes　home。　And　Zhuge　Liang　will　meet　his　death　here　too。〃

Naturally；　Meng　Huo　was　pleased。　But　he　wanted　to　know　how　his　host　could　feel　so　secure。

Duo　Si　said；　〃In　this　ravine　there　are　only　two　roads；　the　one　you　came　by　and　another　by　the　northwest。　The　road　you　traveled　along　is　level　and　soft；　and　the　waters　are　sweet。　Humans　and　horses　may　both　use　it。　But　if　we　close　the　mouth　of　the　ravine　with　a　barricade；　then　no　one；　however　strong；　can　get　in。　The　other　road　is　precipitous；　dangerous；　and　narrow。　The　only　path　is　beset　with　venomous　serpents　and　scorpions；　and　as　evening　es　on　there　are　malarial　exhalations　which　are　dangerous　till　past　noon　the　next　day。　The　road　is　only　practicable　between　two　watches　before　sunset。　Then　the　water　is　undrinkable。　The　road　is　very　difficult。

〃Then　again　there　are　four　streams　actually　poisonous。　One　is　called　'The　Dumb　Spring'。　Its　water　is　pleasant　to　the　palate；　but　it　makes　people　dumb　and　they　die　in　a　few　days。　A　second　fountain　is　called　'The　Destruction　Spring'　and　is　hot。　But　if　a　person　bathes　therein；　his　flesh　rots　till　his　bones　protrude　and　he　dies。　The　third　is　'The　Black　Spring'。　Its　water　is　clear。　If　it　be