"And I will tell you mine," began Pei-Hang, but Yun-Ying stopped him, smiling.
"Ah, I know yours, and all about you," she said.
This surprised Pei-Hang very much; but he need not have been greatly astonished, for everyone in Chang-ngan knew that Pei-Hang was the handsomest and wisest and best loved pupil the wise Pin-Too had ever had.
And Yun-Ying lived quite close to the city, and had often seen Pei-Hang walking through the streets with his books.
When Pei-Hang awoke, he found, as she had said, that there was no red cord around his foot, and no fair maiden looking down at him, either.
"I wonder if she is real, or only a dream-maiden, after all," he said to himself.
But Yun-Ying was quite real; only her mother, who knew something of magic, had given her the power of stepping in and out of people's dreams just as she chose.
Pei-Hang got up and went on his way, thinking of Yun-Ying all the time.
It was still very hot, and he grew so thirsty that he went to a little hut by the roadside, and asked an old woman who was sitting in the doorway to give him a drink.
The old dame told her daughter to fill their best goblet with fresh spring water, and bring it out to the stranger; and when the daughter appeared, it was none other than Yun-Ying herself.