One of them, in her anxiety, went to the father and showed him the dish, suggesting that he should call a doctor as soon as possible. And he, for his part, forbade them to give her so much another time, fearing that she would burst. At mid-day he went himself to speak to her. She began to weep: her mother took her part; and they gave way to her. The evening meal was just as large. They were approaching Ch'i-Chow, and Ho Chang, who was really alarmed, ordered his boatmen to cast anchor near the town. Early in the morning he sent his steward to find the best doctor, and when the man arrived, brought him on board and explained the case to him. They then went to examine the invalid and to try her pulse. The doctor at length came back with the father into the central cabin. "Well? What is the illness?" The other coughed, and at last said: "Your daughter is suffering from lack of nourishment." Her father was staggered: "But I have told you that she ate thirty bowls of rice yesterday." "Yet, but your daughter is still a child. She is apparently fifteen years old, but that is equivalent to fourteen in reality, or even to thirteen and some months. Her food accumulates in her stomach, but is not assimilated. From this cause arises the fever which burns her stomach and makes her imagine herself to be always hungry. The more she eats, therefore, the more her stomach burns. In one month it will be too late to cure her, and she will die of hunger." "But how is she to be cured?" "First, I shall make her digest what she eats. Of course, she must eat very little indeed." He wrote his prescription and went away. The servant went to get the drugs, which were dissolved and boiled according to direction, and finally presented to the young girl. She said that she would take them, and as soon as she was alone threw them out of the port-hole. Thereafter she continued to ask for ten bowls of rice for every meal. Every one on the ship was now discussing this extraordinary case. Some said that they ought to call in sorcerers. Others thought that religious men would do better, seeing that she had certainly been possessed by one of those starving spirits which wander without purpose in punishment for their sins, with a needle's eye for a mouth, seeking in vain for food. At the next town, Ho Chang summoned another doctor. After his examination, mention was made of the former diagnosis, and he burst out laughing. "Nothing of the sort. It is an internal consumption." "But what, then, is the reason for this hunger?" "The hot and the cold principles are at variance in her, and the resultant fire gives her continual opsomania. It is easy to understand." "But she has no fever."