Page:Shen of the Sea.pdf/256

 was well cooked, and you had plenty of it. Will you not come to the house and dig?"

One of the men said, "This fellow reminds me of the way Wu Ta Lang got out of the cherry tree—it was quite simple." But the other, who was more crafty, squinted an eye to say, "Be quiet." Then, using his tongue, he spoke to Hai Low: "For nothing else we came. With all our hearts will we dig. Only open the door. Our rice was well cooked." He entered the house and began to tear up stones from the hearth. Hai Low said, "Do you not think the fox will be alarmed and try to escape through the hole by which he entered?" The hunter replied: "A wise question, truly. What shall we do? Can you not sit with your back to the entrance? Then the fox will be unable to depart." Hai Low readily agreed to aid. He went outside and sat with his back to the wall. The hunters struck many blows upon the hearth, laughing all the while. Presently they each said, "Oh," and stopped digging. "Have you got it?" asked Hai Low. "We have," the elder huntsman answered. "We have it in a sack.